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?? 57% of Google searches now end without a single click. Welcome to the era of Zero-Click Search, where AI Overviews serve answers instantly—no need to visit your site. If your #SEO playbook still chases keywords, it's already outdated. In this week's #ClickZ Digest: ?? Why Reddit, Inc. has become the shopper trust engine ?? How predictive audiences are outperforming old-school targeting ?? Why CMOs are trading brand buzz for boardroom impact Plus: Unfiltered insights from #Shoptalk2025 —straight from the main stage. Read the full issue below. Prefer the convenience of our weekly updates landing directly in your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter and never miss a beat: https://lnkd.in/emiRXVak #SearchMarketing #CMOInsights #AIOverviews #ClickZDigest #DigitalMarketing #PredictiveAudiences #Shoptalk2025 #SEO

#Shoptalk 2025 was packed with big ideas—and we were there for all of it. Over the coming days, ClickZ will share takeaways from the keynote stage, expert interviews, and brands shaping the future of commerce. But first: here’s what we captured in real time. Through Hot Talks, we asked one question: “What’s breaking through the noise for you right now?” From COOs to eComm leads, founders to strategists, we gathered raw, on-the-ground takes on what’s working (and what isn’t) across AI, measurement, enablement, and experience. Featuring voices from: Fospha Liberis Shopify SEPHORA Michael Kors Giorgio Armani Narvar Ulta Beauty Estée Lauder La Vie En Rose Dorel Home Amourprints Jazwares, LLC Voluspa Splitit Fluent, Inc NBCUniversal commercetools Epsilon Palmetto Moon Delta Galil Industries Sur La Table Huckberry Blindster.com Pimberly OneText Conviva Aftersell by Rokt YuVie Minoan Kendo Brands, Inc. Loqate, a GBG solution Fytted: Fashion AI Stylist The Other Group NetNut.io Quad Saatchi & Saatchi X ??? Read the full wrap-up: https://lnkd.in/dsHn5KQi ?? Catch up on pre-event Hot Takes: https://lnkd.in/dPuV2PV3 ?? Catch up on Day 1 Hot Takes: https://lnkd.in/d5Z6Bb-y #HotTalks #Shoptalk2025 #RetailVoices #AI #Attribution #Enablement #RetailMedia #CustomerExperience #CommerceTech

Decoding Generational Beauty: Sunday Riley's Shoptalk 2025 Keynote. Just left an insightful session with Sunday Riley, CEO & Founder of Sunday Riley at Shoptalk 2025! ?? The skincare visionary shared her secrets to captivating multiple generations with a single brand. Key takeaways: * Authenticity is paramount, but tailor your message. * Multi-generational approach is essential: Sunday Riley emphasizes the need to adapt messaging across platforms to resonate with different age demographics, from millennials in SEPHORA to Gen X and Boomers in department stores and QVC. * Platform-specific optimization is key: Visual merchandising strategies vary significantly. * Age-targeted claims drive engagement: The brand tailors product claims to address specific generational concerns, such as focusing on "breakouts" for younger consumers versus "appearance of lines and wrinkles" for older demographics. * QVC's value lies in direct customer engagement: This platform enables brands to directly educate consumers and receive real-time feedback, a unique advantage compared to standard product display pages with limited character counts. * It isn't intuitive, you have to train yourself to think like your different clients. * Building a brand community and connection is key across all platforms. Riley's emphasis on understanding your customer deeply, across every touchpoint, was truly inspiring. Thank you Sunday Riley and Krystina Gustafson for a brilliant keynote! #Shoptalk #Shoptalk2025 #SundayRiley #Skincare #Beauty #Retail #Marketing #BrandStrategy

? AG1 Recipe for Success - Focus, Quality & Authentic Connections ? Just heard Kat Cole, CEO of AG1 drop some serious wisdom at #Shoptalk2025! ?? Key takeaways: * AG1's growth is fueled by customer referrals, not just flashy marketing. This is their #1 driver of customer acquisition. * Their subscription model (90% of their business!) thrives on a high-quality product that users genuinely feel the benefits of. * AG1 focuses on nutrients and gut health, resisting the urge to chase every wellness trend. They've done "one thing for 15 years" with incredible focus. * They're committed to rigorous science, investing in clinical trials to back up their claims and build trust. * The brand has seen explosive growth, going from $160 million in revenue to $600 million in just three years, all with a single product. * AG1 has a surprisingly diverse customer base, split 50/50 between male and female, and with a fast-growing segment of customers aged 60+. It's clear that AG1's success comes from a laser focus on product quality, customer trust, and authentic relationships. Thank you Kat! (A special thank you as well to Hilary Milnes from Vogue Business for hosting the keynote) #Shoptalk #ShopTalk25 #AG1 #Wellness #GutHealth #DirectToConsumer ClickZ.com

?? At #Shoptalk2025, Reddit, Inc.'s Anna Haffner explained why shoppers now add “Reddit” to product searches—not to discover, but to verify. In a world of paid reviews and influencer fatigue, people are seeking the real real. Brands like SEPHORA, Nike, adidas, DICK'S Sporting Goods, and Rent The Runway are leaning into Reddit—not to shout, but to listen. AMAs, product-first content, and AI tools like Reddit Answers are helping them go deeper into what customers actually care about. Read the full interview coverage from George Looker here: https://lnkd.in/dUNf66Cf #Reddit #RetailMarketing #CommunityCommerce #SocialListening #RedditAnswers #ClickZLive #Shoptalk2025 #Sephora #Nike #Adidas #DicksSportingGoods #RentTheRunway

?? Earlier today at #Shoptalk2025,?Roblox's winnie burke shared how Gen Z is flipping the purchase funnel—starting not with a store visit, but with?digital self-expression. “More than half of Gen Z say how their avatar looks matters more than how they look in real life.” And 83% say they’re more likely to buy something IRL if they’ve tried it virtually. ?? One signal of what’s to come? A co-created virtual necklace with Adidas sold on Roblox for?$20,000 USD. Now, the platform is linking digital and physical commerce—Shopify integrations are in beta, enabling avatars to trigger real-world purchases (and vice versa). ?? As?Fospha CEO Sam Carter?put it: “Roblox isn’t just a platform for engagement—it’s a live testing ground for product affinity. As the line between digital and physical shopping blurs, brands need new ways to measure what’s working. Connecting digital expression to real-world conversion is where the next unlock lies.” Read the full coverage by George Looker on why the smartest brands are leaning into the blurred line between identity and intent: https://lnkd.in/dVAysVrc #Roblox #GenZ #RetailInnovation #DigitalCommerce #Measurement #Shopify #Fospha #ClickZLive #Shoptalk2025

??? Amid the noise of AI at #SHOPTALK 2025, Sabrina McPherson offered something rare:?clarity. As SVP of Strategy at Publicis Sapient, she’s seen retailers rush into tech without defining the problem. Her advice? Slow down. Prioritize pain points. And don’t forget the real unlock isn’t always AI—it’s internal alignment. In this standout conversation, we cover:? - Why AI search is about the journey, not the feature - How beauty brands are quietly shaping retail’s next chapter - The overlooked power of internal AI use cases - Why your org chart might be your biggest blocker Read full coverage here as reported by Mairi-Claire Tay: https://lnkd.in/dQ2SdCEV #RetailStrategy #AI #Shoptalk2025 #CustomerExperience #DigitalTransformation

Riding the Wave: How Retailers are Reacting in Real-Time ?? ?Fascinating session with Craig Brommers, CMO at American Eagle Outfitters Inc., Kruti Thakkar, VP of Analytics & Sales Operations at Staples Stores, and André Zdanow, President at FirstBuild (backed by GE Appliances)? Key insights retailers must think about to keep up with the pace of change: * The ability to pivot quickly is crucial in today's dynamic retail landscape. American Eagle’s social team moved at rocket speed to own Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl flare jeans moment! * Rapid prototyping and testing ideas, PLUS partnerships. This led to GE Appliances venture FirstBuild success in Sourdough Sidekick amplifying reach and response. * Social listening informs everything from product development to marketing strategy. Staples has expanded its offering beyond office supplies to include services like TSA PreCheck, passport photos and more! * Blending data with human insight is essential for identifying and capitalizing on trends. REMEMBER - Don't be afraid to experiment and iterate, but always measure the impact! #Shoptalk, #Shoptalk2025, #sociallistening, #retail, #marketing, #ecommerce #communitybuilding

??? The endless aisle is over. Smart curation is the new strategy. At #Shoptalk2025, leaders from Thrive Market, Ulta Beauty, and Wayfair shared how they’re redefining modern merchandising—with data, discipline, and instinct. ? April Lane and her team at Thrive cut 95% of submitted products—delivering 7,000 SKUs instead of 50,000 ? Josh Friedman at Ulta reviews thousands of brands—but only 40–50 make the cut each year ? Liza Lefkowski at Wayfair built Wayfair Verified to simplify choice, powered by learnings from their first physical store “You can’t personalize the experience without editing the assortment,” said Lefkowski. “And you can’t edit well without listening constantly to what customers do with the choices you’ve given them.” Read the full coverage here: https://lnkd.in/dSXW8mUN #RetailStrategy #Merchandising #Curation #Commerce #Shoptalk #ClickZLive #ThriveMarket #UltaBeauty #Wayfair

?? Just happened: Meta's?Karin Tracy?joined leaders from?SEPHORA?and?Toys"R"Us?at #Shoptalk2025 to unpack how creativity is evolving—and why measurement is now at the center of it all. Karin nailed the challenge:?“Measurement has to be the underpinning of all of this...But it’s rarely just one answer. Most retailers are using a constellation of sources—conversion data, in-house signals, MMM—to triangulate results and act quickly on what’s working." Meta’s new omnichannel product is already showing a 21% lift in offline sales. The insight? Website conversion campaigns were driving a?halo effect?in physical stores—and brands were missing it. ?? As?Fospha CEO Sam Carter?put it: “What’s clear from sessions like this is that top brands are no longer treating measurement as a back-end report—they’re using it as a front-line decision tool...With $3bn in media spend under management, Fospha has seen that brands embracing full-funnel, omni-channel measurement—especially on platforms like Meta—are moving faster, reaching and resonating with new customers more efficiently, and driving real business outcomes in real time.” Read the full feature here: https://lnkd.in/dBJ6S29e #Meta #RetailMarketing #Measurement #FullFunnel #Creators #CMO #Storytelling #Shoptalk2025 #ClickZLive #fospha