In partnership with

Increase your DTC margin 4-15% with coupon protection

KeepCart: Coupon Protection partners with D2C brands like Quince, Blueland, Vessi and more to stop/monitor coupon leaks to sites/extensions like Honey, CapitalOne, RetailMeNot, and more to boost your DTC margins

Overpaid commissions to affiliates and influencers add up fast - Get rid of the headache and revenue losses with KeepCart.

Try it 14 days free - No risk, Cancel anytime

Hello there, HTE rock stars! 😎

Welcome to our latest newsletter! 🌟

The digital marketing landscape is shifting fast, bringing new opportunities and challenges for brands and marketers. TikTok has entered the ring with TikTok Search Ads, positioning itself as a serious challenger to Google Ads by capitalizing on user intent and discovery through search 🔍. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s SearchGPT is redefining how consumers interact with search engines by delivering real-time, conversational answers instead of traditional search results 🎯. In this newsletter, we’ll explore how TikTok’s search ads might disrupt the ad space, what marketers need to know about SearchGPT’s impact on search strategies, and actionable steps to restore trust in a world increasingly shaped by AI. 📈🤔

Let’s get started! ✨📊

Newcomers welcome to HTE's hub! Join 35k+ CEOs, CMOs, and marketers for game-changing insights. Get ahead, sign up for brilliance, and let's rise together! 🚀

- TikTok Search Ads: A New Challenger to Google Ads? 🔍

- What Marketers Need to Know About SearchGPT 🎯

- How Brands Can Rebuild Trust Growing AI Skepticism?🤖 

- Brand of the Week ✨

- Top Reads - Real-Time News Right For You. 📚

- HTE Job Board- Get Your Dream Job With A Click! 🧐

TikTok Search Ads: A New Challenger to Google Ads? 🔍

Exciting developments are unfolding in the digital advertising space—TikTok has officially launched its Search Ads, introducing a new way for marketers to connect with users at the very moment they’re actively looking for something. If you’ve been using Google Ads Search campaigns, the setup will feel intuitive and familiar. However, TikTok adds its own unique touch, leveraging the platform’s vibrant, content-rich ecosystem.

This new feature marks a significant shift for TikTok, moving beyond its roots in entertainment and viral content to become a key player in intent-based advertising. With users increasingly turning to TikTok for discovery and research, the platform aims to capture search intent much like Google. While the structural framework resembles Google’s search campaigns—think ad groups, keywords, and bids—TikTok’s spin offers intriguing new possibilities that make it more than just a copycat.

How Do TikTok Search Ads Work?

1. Ad Groups: Just like in Google Ads, campaigns are divided into ad groups that focus on specific themes or products. Organizing your ads this way allows for better targeting and performance tracking.

2. Keywords: TikTok’s ad structure centers around keywords, but it only allows 20 keywords per ad group. This limitation means marketers need to be more strategic, focusing on the most relevant terms.

3. Bidding Strategy: TikTok suggests a budget-to-bid ratio of 20:1, meaning if your bid is $1 per click, your campaign budget should be at least $20. This ratio ensures that the budget is well-distributed and your ads have a better chance to perform.

4. Optimization: Campaign management doesn’t stop with setup. TikTok’s platform encourages continuous optimization by tracking performance and refining bids and keywords to boost effectiveness.

Unlike Google, where search results often take users off-platform, TikTok's Search Ads are integrated directly into the feed. When a user taps the search button at the top of their For You page and enters a query, they are met with a mix of organic content and ads. Clicking on an ad doesn’t disrupt the experience—it keeps the user within TikTok’s scrollable interface, encouraging engagement without interruption.

This seamless integration gives advertisers a unique advantage. Since users aren’t redirected to an external page, they’re more likely to stay engaged with your brand’s content and interact with additional search results.

TikTok’s Search Ads also tap into a growing trend: people are increasingly using social media platforms like TikTok to find products, solutions, and inspiration. While Google has long been the go-to for search advertising, TikTok offers a fresh opportunity to connect with younger, highly engaged audiences who are already in discovery mode.

If your marketing strategy relies on capturing high-intent moments, testing TikTok Search Ads might be the next step. With its creative-first nature and integrated ad experience, TikTok is well-positioned to disrupt the search advertising space—and perhaps even challenge Google’s dominance.

Where Do the Ads Appear?

The user journey starts when someone taps the search button at the top of TikTok For You page. They type in a query, and search results load, where your ads are blended seamlessly among organic results.

The best part? Users who click on a Search Ad can continue scrolling through search results without being taken out of the TikTok experience. This smooth, native integration helps maintain the platform's in-feed feel, increasing the chance of engagement.

What Makes TikTok Search Ads a Big Deal?

When users search on TikTok, they are hunting for specific content, answers, or products—making it a high-intent moment similar to Google searches. This is a goldmine for marketers looking to place their ads in front of a motivated audience.

With TikTok capturing more of the search behavior from younger audiences, it’s no wonder experts are saying TikTok Search Ads could pose a serious challenge to Google’s dominance in the search advertising space.

The Big Question: Will You Test Them?

If you’re already familiar with Google Ads, jumping into TikTok’s search ad platform could be a smooth transition. Plus, the ability to leverage TikTok’s creativity and engaged user base opens new doors for e-commerce, brand awareness, and lead generation campaigns.

With the rise of social search behavior, TikTok Search Ads are a trend worth exploring. The real question is: Are you ready to join the movement?

What Marketers Need to Know About SearchGPT 🎯

The digital landscape is evolving fast, and OpenAI’s SearchGPT is leading the charge with a bold attempt to challenge Google’s dominance in search. This newsletter covers the key features, comparison with Google AI Overviews, and how marketers can adapt to make the most of this emerging platform.

🔍 What is SearchGPT?

SearchGPT blends AI-powered conversational abilities with real-time data, providing direct answers to queries instead of returning a list of links like traditional search engines.

Key Features of SearchGPT:

• Conversational interface – Engage in natural, dialogue-like interactions

• Direct answers – Get concise, insightful answers without endless scrolling

• Citations panel – A transparent sidebar showing linked sources

• Follow-up questions – Build on initial queries with follow-up exploration

How It Works:
SearchGPT leverages retrieval augmented generation (RAG) technology, combining search query embeddings with a vector database (most likely powered by Bing). This ensures accurate, real-time responses and reduces hallucinations by referencing trusted sources.

SearchGPT vs. Google AI Overviews (AIO)

Transparency: SearchGPT provides clear citations by linking to original content directly, whereas Google AIO uses icons for references, making sources less visible.
Conversational Search: SearchGPT offers interactive dialogue, while Google’s AIO functions more like enhanced rich snippets.

Takeaway for Marketers: SearchGPT’s conversational nature opens new opportunities to create engaging, user-friendly content.

📈 5 Key Implications for Marketers

1️⃣ Search is Becoming More Conversational
SearchGPT encourages dialogue-based queries rather than keyword searches. Marketers must now shift focus from keywords to user intent, develop engaging content that aligns with deeper user needs, and explore topics holistically, answering questions users didn’t know they had.

2️⃣ Rich Media is Crucial
SearchGPT references various media formats beyond text, making multimedia strategies essential. Integrate videos, infographics, and interactive elements. Optimize media with accurate labeling and metadata to ensure relevance. Accessible content ensures higher chances of visibility in AI-driven search.

3️⃣ Earned Media Will Gain More Value
SearchGPT prioritizes authoritative publications, meaning digital PR and thought leadership remain essential. Collaborate with high-authority media such as Conde Nast and Vox. Focus on earned media to increase your brand’s chances of being referenced by the AI engine.

4️⃣ High-Quality Content Reigns Supreme
The key to SearchGPT success is consistently updated, relevant content. To stay competitive, regularly optimize and refresh content to maintain relevance and focus on engagement-driven strategies to increase traffic and brand visibility.

5️⃣ Evolve Your Analytics and Metrics
Traditional metrics like CTR and page rankings will become less relevant. Instead, focus on tracking brand mentions within AI-generated responses, monitoring prompt-based visibility and engagement metrics, and measuring the accuracy of references to your content within LLM responses.

🛠️ Final Thoughts: Adapting to the Future of Search

SearchGPT promises to transform the search landscape, making it more conversational, transparent, and media-rich. Marketers must rethink traditional strategies to keep up with these changes by embracing multimedia, building relationships with high-authority sources, and focusing on user intent.

Stay ahead of the curve—this is the dawn of a new search era.

How Brands Can Rebuild Trust Growing AI Skepticism🤖 

In today’s competitive landscape, brands are grappling with increased consumer expectations and waning customer feedback. Consumers are quicker to lose loyalty after negative interactions, yet they are less inclined to share their experiences—whether good or bad.

These insights are drawn from the “2025 Consumer Trends Report” by Qualtrics, which surveyed nearly 24,000 consumers across 23 countries. This newsletter unpacks key findings from the report, including declining feedback, shifts in loyalty, and growing skepticism toward AI.

Key Insights from the 2025 Consumer Trends Report

1️⃣ Consumers Aren’t Giving Feedback, Even After Strong Experiences

Despite the abundance of feedback channels, consumers are growing silent about their experiences with brands. Whether interactions are positive or negative, they are increasingly unlikely to offer feedback—either on social media or through formal brand channels.

According to Isabelle Zdatny, head of thought leadership at Qualtrics’ XM Institute:
“Consumers are staying silent about their experiences, whether they’re good or bad. That’s a huge problem for companies trying to understand and calibrate experiences. This trend has dropped every year since 2021—seven points after a good experience, eight points after a bad one.”

Interestingly, only 20 percent of consumers post about their experiences on social media—a significant decline. When consumers do share, they are most likely to tell friends or family directly rather than posting publicly or notifying the brand.

Zdatny attributes this to survey fatigue and a broader erosion of trust between brands and consumers:
“If you think, ‘I’m never going to interact with this company again,’ you’re not going to spend your precious time writing a rant or providing feedback. It’s reflective of a general erosion of trust. There’s a lot of survey fatigue going on. What’s in it for me to give feedback to an organization?”

2️⃣ Trust in Brands’ Use of AI is Declining

Only 26 percent of consumers trust brands to use AI responsibly. This comes despite consumers becoming more familiar with AI-driven services.

Zdatny highlights the rise of AI skepticism, stating:
“The headline is, ‘AI hype gives way to AI skepticism.’ We asked how comfortable consumers were performing activities using AI—like booking a plane ticket, getting medical advice, or checking the status of an order. The average drop in comfort is 11 percentage points year over year.”

This decline in comfort occurs despite increased exposure to AI, suggesting that familiarity alone is not building trust. Even as AI tools become more prevalent, consumers are less willing to rely on them for key tasks.

📈 What Brands Should Do to Navigate These Trends

Rebuild Trust with Thoughtful Feedback Channels

• Simplify feedback mechanisms and offer rewards or incentives to encourage engagement

• Focus on gathering insights through natural conversations with customers rather than relying solely on surveys

Strengthen AI Transparency

• Communicate clearly how AI is used, focusing on its benefits for customers

• Invest in responsible AI practices to align with consumer expectations

Focus on Earned Loyalty and Relationships

• Deliver consistently positive experiences to earn trust through actions, not just messaging

• Cultivate direct connections with customers through personalized service

🛠️ Final Thoughts: Adapting to New Consumer Behaviors

The 2025 Consumer Trends Report highlights two critical challenges for brands: consumers are increasingly silent about their experiences, and trust in AI is waning. Brands must rethink how they engage customers, leveraging transparent feedback channels, responsible AI practices, and relationship-driven loyalty programs to stay ahead in this shifting landscape.

Brand of the Week ✨

Mezcla

Mezcla is a plant-based protein bar brand designed to deliver both nutrition and flavor. The company embraces the concept of “mezcla,” which means “mixture” in Spanish, blending the essence of diverse flavors, high-quality ingredients, and artistry. Each bar offers 10 grams of plant protein and is entirely vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and soy-free, making it an ideal snack for people with various dietary needs.

What makes Mezcla unique is not only its nutritional profile but also its commitment to creativity. The bars come wrapped in packaging that highlights original artwork, celebrating different cultures and promoting artistic expression. This aligns with the brand’s mission to foster a sense of community and individuality through food and design. With Mezcla, consumers get more than a snack; they become part of a lifestyle rooted in wellness, art, and inclusivity, making each bite both nourishing and meaningful.

Mezcla was founded by Griffin Spolansky and Coco Sotelo. Griffin, a graduate of the University of Virginia, conceived the idea for Mezcla during an entrepreneurship course, where he connected with Coco, an immigrant from Mexico. Initially, Coco had been selling granola at local farmers' markets, drawing from her heritage to create food that reminded her of home. Inspired by her story and culinary passion, Griffin joined forces with Coco, and the two began experimenting with protein bar recipes in her kitchen.

Their shared vision culminated in Mezcla, a brand focused on celebrating global diversity through food. The company’s name, which means "mixture" in Spanish, reflects its ethos of blending flavors and cultures. Mezcla's products are not only plant-based but also highlight unique international ingredients such as matcha from Japan, cocoa from Peru, and chipotle from Mexico. Today, Griffin leads the company as CEO, with Coco managing its corporate social responsibility efforts remotely from Virginia​

Top Reads📚

Google Warns Against Over-Reliance On SEO Tool Metrics~ 18 October 2024, Search Engine Journal

Advisor John Hardin Joins UBS Private Wealth Management in Miami ~ 17 October 2024, Businesswire

Telerehabilitation Systems Market to Expand by USD 532.9 Million ~ 16 October 2024, PR Newswire

7 creative email automations for non-ecommerce brands ~ 16 October 2024, MarTech

Google unveils AI-powered Google Shopping overhaul  ~ 15 October 2024, Search Engine Land

HTE Job Board- Get Your Dream Job With a Click✨💼

Welcome to the HTE Job Board. We connect talented individuals with exciting career opportunities. Browse through our latest job listings and find the perfect match for your skills and aspirations. 

📢Digital Marketer

📢Digital Marketing Analyst

📢Growth Marketing Associate

📢Performance Marketing Specialist

📢Digital Marketing Specialist

Your Voice 🎤

Phew! That was a lot, right? But hey, knowledge is power🌟. We hope this edition gave you some insights and maybe even cleared up a few doubts.

Got questions or topics you'd like us to cover next? Holler at us! We’ll give you a shoutout in our next edition. If you have any questions, reply to this email and share your valuable feedback so we can aim to address them in our upcoming editions!

Thank you for being a part of our community !🙌

Did you find this newsletter helpful? 👍 / 👎

Your feedback keeps us going.

Until next time,

With 🧡🧡

How to E-commerce