Welcome to our February Digital Digest!

In this month’s edition we’re taking a look at all things social media, including how our use of it has changed over the two decades since Facebook (now Meta) and YouTube were first created. 

Plus there’s a new Google core update, but it’s a little different from the usual ones … 

The February Core Update 

This latest core update is the first of the year – and of its kind. 

The release of Google core updates may seem endless, but it is important to stay ahead of any changes to the search algorithms – especially this most recent one. 

Released on Thursday 5th February, and targeting Discover specifically, the February Discover core update is actually the very first of its kind. It aims to improve the Discover experience for users by preventing clickbait and sensationalism, reducing attempts to manipulate search results, and providing more locally relevant content.

The update is currently being rolled out in the US, with plans to expand it into all countries in the coming months, so there will be plenty of time to identify the impact of the update before it begins to affect your Discover traffic.

Social Media’s Shifting Strategy

How much of the content you consume is from people you actually know? 

The way we use social media has changed, and the Meta algorithm with it; so much so that an average user now spends only 17% of their time on Facebook viewing content posted by friends and family.  

This stat drops even further to just 7% on Instagram, so what exactly is filling our social feeds? Meta’s core goal has switched from updating you on the lives of your nearest and dearest to keeping you on each platform for as long as possible, and the algorithm curates the following to keep you scrolling:

• Content from sources that you follow, like, or have connected with (as well as real-life updates from people you know).
• Recommended content, including reels, videos, and content from creators.
• And targeted ads, based on your preferences.

Whilst organic sharing is now happening in more private online spaces and communities, such as Whatsapp and Discord, rather than on traditional social networks.

YouTube Vs … Everything!

Video is king – and global platform preferences are here to prove it.

It’s official – YouTube is now making more money than Netflix. The platform generated over $60bn in revenue last year alone, and if you were still in any doubt that video has overtaken text-based content as the global preference, then the stats are here to prove it!

Ofcom’s 2025 EOY report delved into these preferences, revealing that more Brits (almost 52 million) now watch YouTube than the BBC (50.8 million) on a monthly basis. This makes the platform the most widely used social media platform for UK adults, but the platform’s influence isn’t limited to any age group.

YouTube is also the go-to choice for younger UK viewers, Ofcom declares, accounting for 45% of the total daily screen time for 8-9 year olds (this figure drops to 31% for 10-12 year olds, and again to 13% for 13-14 year olds). Between them, YouTube and Snapchat account for over half of all time spent online by UK users aged 8-14, but whilst Snapchat usage drops significantly after the age of 14, YouTube once again secures the largest share among 15-17 year olds (28% of their total time spent online).

‘Independent, Unbiased, and Useful’ 

Private and personalised ads are coming to ChatGPT.

Last month, Google introduced personalised ads within AI Mode, and now it’s OpenAI’s turn. The platform has officially launched its Ad Pilot Program to test ads within ChatGPT, with plans to expand the advertising program once the test is complete.

In a statement announcing the introduction of the ads, OpenAI stated that the core aim of the test is to ‘learn, listen, and make sure we (OpenAI) get the experience right’. The platform also reaffirmed its commitment to user privacy and asserted that the answers will always remain independent, unbiased, and useful.

To achieve this, ads will be selected based upon the topic of a conversation, past chats, and previous interactions with ads, and users will also be able to manage their ad preferences in chat. Interestingly, OpenAI has stated that ‘ads do not influence the answers ChatGPT gives you’, a feat that (if it can be put into practice) will advance not only the ChatGPT experience but also the development of agentic advertising.

Is AEO The New SEO?

The debate over whether AIO, GEO, and SEO are essentially the same rages on. 

There have been rumblings that, as AI search becomes the new norm, the age of SEO is over – and that marketeers must prioritise AI visibility above all else.

Claude has 18.9 million monthly active users worldwide. Perplexity has over 45 million. ChatGPT surpasses them all, reaching over 800 million users each week, and whilst there is no doubt that the guiding principles of digital marketing are shifting, claims persist that AEO is not replacing SEO, but simply the next step in SEO.

Upon closer inspection, many of the core principles of AEO and GEO are simply longstanding SEO ones applied to AI search. In both cases, content must be unique, high-quality, and optimised with keywords and structured data. Your site must be technically sound and supported by credibility signals and domain authority. And whilst the end result (a personalised response) differs from the one given by organic search, the processes used to deliver it – crawling, indexing and citing – remain the same.

The Digital Digest

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We will be back next month with more insights, and you can get in touch with us at any time to adjust your strategy in line with this month’s Digest.