Media Briefing: Without transparency, publishers can’t tell if Google’s Preferred Sources feature benefits them

This week’s Media Briefing will look at how Google’s Preferred Sources feature promises publishers more control over audience loyalty — yet leaves them flying blind on traffic data and impact six months in.

  • Preferred Sources is another Google update with a data gap
  • The Economist braces for its next stage, X’s algorithm deprioritizes traditional news outlets

Another Google update, another data gap

Six months after Google debuted its Preferred Sources feature, publishers still don’t know how it’s affecting search traffic.

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Urban Outfitters shifts its influencer strategy from reach to participation

Urban Outfitters is launching a creator program centered around the hyper-personalized engagement that comes with passionate micro-creators and their communities.

The move marks a structural shift in the retail brand’s creator strategy, and sees it join a growing group of brands that are gamifying their creator programs — moving away from curated, one-off partnerships toward broad, recurring, points-for-rewards systems that encourage consistent content creation.

Head of brand marketing Cyntia Leo told Digiday the program, called Me@UO, which will feature seasonal campaigns culminating in rewards for top creators, won’t replace traditional influencer marketing or even affiliate schemes, but will signify a shift away from “campaigns you just watch to campaigns you really want to join.”

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