This summer has been a busy one in the world of marketing technology, with some major shifts that will shape how brands connect with audiences online.
From new Google search features to major social platforms rethinking content visibility, here are the top three marketing tech stories you need to know about from summer 2025.
Google launches AI search mode in UK
Google has rolled out its much-anticipated AI Mode in the UK, marking one of the most significant changes to its search engine in years. Instead of being met with a traditional list of blue links, users who opt into AI Mode will see conversational answers powered by Google’s Gemini AI, with fewer direct links to external sites.
While this promises a more natural way for users to ask questions, the move has sparked concern among publishers and businesses. With fewer click-through opportunities, traffic from Google could decline, potentially disrupting industries that rely on search visibility and ad placements.
For marketers, this change reinforces the need to focus on brand visibility beyond search listings, and to create content that remains valuable even when presented inside AI-powered summaries.
- To find out more, check out our recent blog on Answer Engine Optimisation here.
Meta content heads to search engines
Meta has also made headlines with a major update, which could reshape how brands approach platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Public content from professional accounts will now be automatically indexed by search engines, meaning your Instagram photos and videos can appear directly in Google’s search results.
Until now, Meta’s platforms have limited how much of their content could be crawled by search engines. This update removes those restrictions, opening up a new layer of discoverability for businesses. Professional accounts still have the option to opt out in their privacy settings.
For marketers, this means that by optimising captions with relevant keywords and ensuring posts deliver helpful, engaging and context-rich content, brands can now make an impact beyond Instagram’s Explore page and reach audiences through organic search. Think of it as SEO for Instagram and Facebook – something that wasn’t possible to this extent before.
Cloudflare introduces AI bot blocker for websites
Another big headline this summer came from Cloudflare, which announced a new AI bot-blocking system that’s already active across more than a million websites, including many of the world’s biggest news platforms.
The system allows publishers to block AI crawlers – bots used by AI firms to scrape online content for training large language models – unless they’re willing to pay. It comes after publishers argued that AI models are exploiting their work without permission or compensation.
This also signals a shifting landscape for marketers. Looking ahead, brands will need to consider how their own content is used by AI systems, and whether they want to encourage visibility or lock down their intellectual property.
Key takeaways
The lines between search, AI, and social are blurring faster than ever. For marketers, the key will be to stay agile, experiment with new strategies, and find ways to make content discoverable, valuable, and future-proof.
Ready to adapt your strategy for the new search and content landscape? At Embrace, we help brands stay ahead of digital shifts, from AI-driven search to social-first SEO. Email hello@weareembrace.com for an initial chat.
This latest thinking article was written by:
Jack Lenton
Content Manager