There’s once again something new to keep up with…
Search, social media, and advertising have shifted – again.
Get fully up to speed with the March edition of Xtracts, your digital news overview.
LinkedIn loses 60% of B2B traffic – despite strong rankings
At the end of January 2026, LinkedIn published something that should catch the attention of the entire marketing industry. The platform’s B2B growth team revealed that across a number of topics, they had lost up to 60 percent of their organic non-branded traffic. What makes this particularly striking is that it happened despite search rankings remaining completely unchanged.
The explanation is AI search. When Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT answer a question directly in the search interface, users don’t click through. They get the answer and stay. LinkedIn calls it “zero-click search,” and it’s a reality hitting far beyond LinkedIn alone.
The response was not to give up. On February 10, LinkedIn followed up with a 13-point guide and a new cross-functional AI Search Taskforce bringing together people from SEO, PR, editorial and paid media. They have fundamentally shifted their focus: from clicks to citations.
The new success metrics are called AI Presence Rate, Share of AI Conversation and Citation Authority. These measure how often LinkedIn appears as a source in AI-generated answers – not how many people click. The platform also published a detailed breakdown of what makes LLMs cite a piece of content: clear structure, expert authors with visible credentials and precise answers early in the text.
For anyone working with B2B content or SEO, this is a clear signal that traffic is no longer the only measure of content that works.
Source: Search Engine Land
Google introduces Shopping ads directly in AI Mode
On February 11, 2026, Google announced a new ad format designed specifically for AI Mode. The format is called Direct Offers and is part of Google’s broader Universal Commerce Protocol, which launched in January with brands such as Petco, e.l.f. Cosmetics and Samsonite as the first test partners.
The idea is simple, but potentially very powerful. When a user in AI Mode shows high purchase intent – for example by researching a specific product in depth – retailers selling that product can display an exclusive discount directly in the search interface. The customer doesn’t need to navigate anywhere. The offer meets the user exactly where the decision is actually being made.
In practice, retailers set up relevant offers and unique discount codes in their Merchant Center. Google’s AI then determines when it makes sense to show the offer. The current focus is on percentage-based discounts, but bundles and free shipping are planned.
For anyone working with e-commerce and performance marketing, this is a development that demands attention. If AI Mode over time absorbs a larger part of the search journey, the conversion point could shift into the search interface itself – far from the website. That changes not just the ad strategy, but the entire way you think about the customer journey.
Source: Search Engine Land
Meta opens Creator Marketplace globally and rolls out Threads ads to everyone
Meta had an active start to 2026. On January 26, Threads ads were rolled out to all users worldwide – not just in selected markets. This means Threads has officially moved from experiment to a fully-fledged advertising medium, with support for image, video and carousel formats via both manual setup and Advantage+ integration.
On February 1, Meta followed up with a major update to Creator Marketplace, which is now open to all businesses globally. Previously it was only available in 19 countries. With the update, brands can now see AI-recommended collaborators based on creators who have previously tagged the brand or engaged with its content. A new performance badge has also been added, showing which creators are predicted to drive strong results for your specific business.
In addition, a “Similar Creators” search function has been introduced, finding profiles with the same characteristics as your best-performing collaborators. It’s a practical feature that can save time in research and increase the likelihood of strong campaign results.
Overall, the updates signal that Meta is making a major bet on the influencer and creator ecosystem as a growth driver. With Threads as a new channel and stronger AI-powered matchmaking in Creator Marketplace, there’s good reason to take a closer look at whether Meta’s platform mix fits into your advertising strategy for 2026.
Source: Social Media Today
Google upgrades AI Mode with Gemini 3 and Personal Intelligence
Google has not been standing still in February. On January 27, the company announced that Gemini 3 is now the default model powering AI Overviews globally. This means better and faster answers to complex questions – and users can now ask follow-up questions directly from an AI Overview and move seamlessly into a conversation with AI Mode without interruption.
On February 26, Google took another step. A new feature called Personal Intelligence is now available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. It allows users to connect Gmail and Google Photos to AI Mode in Search. The result is a search experience that draws on personal context – and can provide tailored recommendations for things like shopping and travel based on what’s actually in your inbox and photo library.
The feature is opt-in, and Google emphasises that data is not shared with third parties. But for marketers, it’s still an important development to follow. Search is becoming personal in an entirely new way, and that could potentially change what’s relevant to show to whom – and when.
The direction is clear: Google is rebuilding search from a list of links into a conversational, personalised and AI-driven experience. It’s happening fast, and the consequences for visibility and traffic patterns can already be felt.
Sources: Tech Crunch
Meta shuts down messenger.com
Meta has announced that messenger.com will shut down in April 2026. Users who currently send messages via the standalone Messenger website will automatically be redirected to facebook.com/messages instead. The same applies to those who have been using the Messenger desktop app for Windows and Mac, which was already shut down in October 2025.
Messenger as an app is not disappearing. You can still message people via the mobile app or via Facebook on the web – but Messenger no longer exists as a standalone platform on desktop.
It’s an interesting signal about the direction Meta is heading. The company has for years been working on merging Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram Direct into a single shared messaging infrastructure. But as Meta has won its long-running legal battle against the US competition authority, the FTC, it appears that the strategic need for that consolidation has fallen away. Instead, the messaging function is being pulled back into Facebook as a core product.
For brands and marketers using Messenger as a customer service channel or for direct communication with followers, it’s a practical update worth noting – even if the day-to-day consequences are likely limited for most.
Source: Social Media Today
