Weekly SEO and Marketing Recap: Feb 11, 2025

Ali here, your marketing bro, and this week is PACKED with SEO drama, AI tea, TikTok content hacks, and some juicy ad revenue updates.

PLUS, there’s an epic event in Dubai and a tool that’ll make you a YouTube ad-spying ninja. Let’s get into it! 👇

• When: February 20-22, 2025

• Where: Dubai, UAE 🌴

• Details: The ultimate affiliate marketing event is back, and it’s BIGGER than ever. Think networking with top affiliates, exclusive panels, and after-parties that’ll make your Instagram pop.

• Why You Should Go: If you’re serious about affiliate marketing, this is where the magic happens. Meet industry leaders, learn the latest strategies, and maybe even close some deals over a cocktail. 🍸

• More Info: Check it out here

Ali’s Take: Dubai + affiliate marketing = a vibe. If you’re not there, wyd? Pack your bags and let’s go! ✈️

1. Google’s Advice on Fixing Unwanted Indexed URLs

• Date: February 7, 2025

John Mueller (Google’s SEO guru) shared tips on handling indexed URLs like "add-to-cart" pages. Instead of relying on rel=canonical (which is just a hint), he suggests blocking these URLs with robots.txt and analyzing patterns for a more tailored fix.

2. Google’s Market Share Slips as AI Referrals & Regional Search Engines Rise

• Date: February 7, 2025

Google’s dominance is slipping as AI tools like ChatGPT and regional search engines (Yandex, Baidu) gain traction. AI referrals are becoming a thing, and users are exploring alternatives.

3. ChatGPT Opens Web Search to All Users

• Date: February 6, 2025

OpenAI has made ChatGPT’s web search feature available to everyone—no login required! This move positions ChatGPT as a direct competitor to Google, offering conversational answers with real-time web data.

4. Google AI Overviews Are Hurting CTRs

• Date: February 8, 2025

Google’s AI Overviews, which summarize search results, are reportedly reducing click-through rates (CTRs). Users are getting answers directly from the AI summaries, bypassing the need to click on websites.

Ali’s Take: This is a BIG deal for marketers. If CTRs are dropping, it’s time to rethink your SEO and ad strategies. Adapt or get left behind, fam. 💡

5. YouTube Partners with Repurpose.io for TikTok & Reels Cross-Posting

• Date: February 6, 2025

YouTube is teaming up with Repurpose.io to let creators repost TikTok and Instagram Reels directly to YouTube Shorts. They’re even offering 3 months of free access to Repurpose.io to make the transition seamless.

With Shorts pulling in 70 billion daily views, this is a golden opportunity for creators to expand their reach.

6. Meta’s Advantage+ Campaign Setup for Lead Gen

• Date: February 6, 2025

Meta’s Advantage+ is now optimized for lead gen campaigns, making it easier to automate and scale. It’s all about simplifying ad setups while leveraging AI to target the right audience.

7. Amazon Expands Same-Day Prescription Delivery

• Date: February 5, 2025

Amazon is flexing its healthcare muscles with same-day prescription delivery through One Medical. They’re combining convenience with healthcare, and ngl, this could be a game-changer for eCommerce in the health sector.

8. Trump Delays Ending of De Minimis Trade Exemption

• Date: February 7, 2025

The U.S. has delayed changes to the de minimis trade exemption, which could have impacted eCommerce businesses importing goods from China. This gives businesses more time to adapt to potential trade policy shifts.

9. China’s DeepSeek AI Threatens Western Models

• Date: February 6, 2025

DeepSeek AI, a Chinese AI model, is making waves in affiliate marketing by analyzing user behavior and optimizing campaigns in real-time. It’s a direct challenge to Western AI models.

10. Marketing on Threads: What You Need to Know

• Date: February 5, 2025

Threads is becoming a hot platform for marketers, with its focus on text-based content and community engagement. If you’re not experimenting with Threads yet, you’re missing out on a growing audience.

🧠 Quiz Time:

Q: What’s the main reason Google’s AI Overviews are hurting CTRs?
a) They’re inaccurate
b) They summarize answers directly
c) They block ads
d) They prioritize paid results

(Answer at the end of the newsletter!)

When Google’s AI Overviews steal your CTRs:

• What It Does: Spies on your competitors’ top-performing YouTube ads.

• Why It’s Cool: You can see what’s working for others and steal (I mean, get inspired by) their winning strategies.

• Use Case: Perfect for affiliates, media buyers, and anyone running YouTube ads.

• Special Offer: 50% OFF + Free Trial with code affiliateninjaclub_va

• More Info: Check it out here

Ali’s Take: This tool is literally a cheat code for YouTube ads. If you’re not using it, you’re leaving $$$ on the table. 💸

Alright, fam, that’s a wrap!

This week was straight-up wild with SEO chaos, AI flexes, and marketing hacks. From fixing those annoying indexed URLs to spying on YouTube ads like a pro, there’s so much to level up your game. 

And if you’re not already hyped for Dubai, what are you even doing?! 🌴

Keep testing, keep hustling, and don’t forget to have fun with it. Marketing’s all about trying new stuff and making it work for YOU. 

You’ve got this, and I’m here cheering you on like your biggest hype bro. 🙌

Catch you next week for more fire tips, tools, and Exclusive Coupons . Stay awesome, stay creative, and maybe grab a coffee or two. ☕

Your marketing bestie, Ali 🤘
Brought to you by Aff.ninja 🥷