Similarweb’s new AI Chatbot Traffic screen allows marketers and SEO professionals to identify and analyze web traffic originating from popular AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude – eliminating what would otherwise be a growing blind spot in digital analytics. With AI Chatbot Traffic, users see the overall estimated traffic volume and which platforms are linking to their content the most. In addition, they can see which pages are receiving the most AI chatbot referrals – displayed along with a list of top prompts that would direct users to each page’s content. These capabilities are now available within the familiar Similarweb platform that digital professionals use for SEO and competitive intelligence. Much like knowing the keywords that drive the most traffic is important to traditional search engine optimization, knowing the pages that attract the most AI chatbot traffic allows marketers to adjust their content strategy for the next generation of digital marketing optimization. Or Offer, CEO of Similarweb said “Our AI Chatbot Referral Traffic monitoring empowers businesses to navigate this new terrain by providing unparalleled insights into how AI interactions drive web traffic, enabling our clients to stay ahead in the competitive digital marketplace.”
Best Buy’s new platform gives creators the ability to create a one-stop shop to highlight tech features in their content and earn a commission on sales referred through their storefront
Best Buy Creator program is a new platform that allows influencers and creators of all sizes to partner directly with Best Buy and help shoppers discover new technology and the amazing ways it can elevate their lives. Storefronts give creators the ability to create a one-stop shop to highlight tech features in their content and earn a commission on sales referred through their storefront, with no commission cap: 1) Next-level inspiration: Customers can find inspiration and shop confidently when they see the latest collections on their favorite content creators storefront. For creators, they’ll now be able to explore, feature and earn eligible commission across Best Buy’s full assortment of tens of thousands of products. 2) Tailored collections: Storefronts simplify shopping by allowing creators to curate collections of tech products featured in their content. Instead of guessing, viewers can easily explore and shop products that align with their favorite creators’ recommendations. 3) Convenience: Storefronts brings your creators favorite products all together in one place, making it easy for their followers to shop the tech they see them use in both their content and everyday lives. Creators will be able to access performance tools to help drive their business and insights, including the ability to track what they’re earning, product performance and more.
https://corporate.bestbuy.com/2025/best-buy-creator-program/
Barometer’s ad measurement tech lets advertisers assess the content of individual podcast episodes for better brand alignment and also make contextual, in-game ad placement for mobile games
Thanks to new attribution partners like Podscribe, as well as Claritas’ acquisition of Arts.ai, there are multiple options for audio advertisers to measure the impact of audio ads on conversions. For app-based campaigns, solutions like Kochava, AppsFlyer, and Adjust make it possible to connect app installs to audio ads–especially when they’re connected to our next technological advancement: clickable audio. Clickable audio gives advertisers the best of both worlds: the audibility that is crucial for brand awareness, along with the performance metrics they’re used to from traditional click-through advertising, such as CTR and post-click engagement, often delivered at a much more performant rate thanks to the impact of audio. Thanks to the broader adoption of programmatic audio and greater tech investments by ad-supported listening platforms, targeting approaches have evolved to make reaching audiences through audio just as compelling as through other channels. With newer AI solutions like Barometer, advertisers can assess the content of individual podcast episodes for better brand alignment and brand safety. The same goes for mobile games, where you can use the game context to make sure your ad appears in the best moment possible. But targeting with podcasts and other audio formats can go beyond context, with the combination of first party data from streaming logins and third-party data sources have opened the door to robust audience targeting across audio platforms. Curation partners and suppliers can now deliver high-performing, curated audiences reachable by audio that are just as effective for display and video campaigns.
Blackbird payment loyalty app for restaurants uses blockchain transaction protocol that lets diners pay for meals at the table and redeem loyalty points when they visit restaurants
Blackbird Labs, a blockchain-based restaurant loyalty and payments app, has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round. When customers visit a restaurant in Blackbird’s network they can earn rewards such as last-minute access to tables and off-menu items. They also earn a rewards currency called $FLY, which can be spent across Blackbird’s network of 1000 restaurants in New York, San Francisco and Charleston. The new funding will be used to expand into more cities. CEO Ben Leventhal previously founded restaurant reservation platform Resy, which was acquired by American Express in 2019. With Amex now an investor in Blackbird, he tells TechCrunch that integrating the two is likely.
Levi Strauss becomes ‘D2C-First’ company as direct-to-consumer business accounts for 52% of total revenue, up 2 percentage points from a year earlier; U.S. department stores now represent just 7%,
Levi Strauss & Co. said it saw better-than-expected financial results in the first quarter as it continued to increase its focus on the D2C business. At the end of the quarter, the D2C business accounted for 52% of the apparel company’s total global net revenues. That figure was up 2 percentage points from a year earlier and, as it accounted for more than half of revenues, marked a milestone in the company’s transformation into “a D2C-first company,” Michelle Gass, president and CEO of Levi Strauss, said. “D2C continues to be the primary growth driver, up 12%, fueled by positive comp growth, successful new openings and strong eCom performance,” Gass said. The shift to D2C will result in “more productive and profitable doors,” Gass said, adding that the company expects to build several hundred more stores in the future. Levi Strauss aims to have D2C account for 55% of its business over the longer term, even as it expands its wholesale business as well, she said. The wholesale business was up 5% during the quarter, driven by door expansion, more space at existing stores and a wider lifestyle assortment. “Consistent with our strategy to diversify our channels of business, U.S. department stores now represent just 7%, which is less than half of what it was 10 years ago,” Gass said.
Etsy blends human engineers and LLMs to offer ‘algotorial’ curated collections based on trends, aesthetics and occasions
Etsy is now letting customers browse by curated collections on the Etsy app, based on trends, aesthetics and occasions. After a collection is identified, Etsy engineers use machine learning technology to expand it from roughly 50 human-curated listings to about 1,000. Once expanded, the company uses large language models (LLMs) to make sure the full collection is aesthetically cohesive, represents a variety of products, and meets its standards for quality. Etsy calls this blend of human and AI-based recommendations “algotorial” curation. The trends customers see and the items that appear highest within each collection’s feed are based on shoppers’ recent activity, including purchases and viewed items. According to Etsy, algotorial curation will lay the groundwork for even more personalized, relevant recommendations built on a deep understanding of both individual buyer behavior and its inventory. Nick Daniel, chief product officer, Etsy, said “In tandem, we’re leveraging powerful LLMs to unlock a deeper understanding of the 100 million items in our marketplace, each uniquely listed by an individual seller.”
Etsy blends human engineers and LLMs to offer ‘algotorial’ curated collections based on trends, aesthetics and occasions
Etsy is now letting customers browse by curated collections on the Etsy app, based on trends, aesthetics and occasions. After a collection is identified, Etsy engineers use machine learning technology to expand it from roughly 50 human-curated listings to about 1,000. Once expanded, the company uses large language models (LLMs) to make sure the full collection is aesthetically cohesive, represents a variety of products, and meets its standards for quality. Etsy calls this blend of human and AI-based recommendations “algotorial” curation. The trends customers see and the items that appear highest within each collection’s feed are based on shoppers’ recent activity, including purchases and viewed items. According to Etsy, algotorial curation will lay the groundwork for even more personalized, relevant recommendations built on a deep understanding of both individual buyer behavior and its inventory. Nick Daniel, chief product officer, Etsy, said “In tandem, we’re leveraging powerful LLMs to unlock a deeper understanding of the 100 million items in our marketplace, each uniquely listed by an individual seller.”
Most Coachella attendees this year opted to use Coachella’s installment payment plan, akin to BNPL
Bypassing traditional buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers, Coachella’s payment plans have become especially popular with the festival’s mostly younger crowd—and a significant revenue source for its promoters. According to reporting from Billboard, approximately 60% of general admission ticket buyers at this year’s festival opted to use Coachella’s payment plan. Buyers are charged a $41 upfront fee to enroll. With nearly 100,000 attendees expected, that fee alone generates more than $4 million, split between the ticketing company and the promoter. In a sense, that $41 may seem minor compared to the overall cost—general admission tickets for the three-day festival started at $499, plus fees. The payment plan allows attendees to get started with as little as $19.99, with the balance spread out over several months. For Coachella, that generally means the three-month stretch between the January lineup announcement and the festival itself. The use of these payment plans is soaring despite increased competition from traditional BNPL firms like Klarna and Affirm. With those providers, payments are generally made after the consumer has received their goods or services, and there are no fees. Coachella attendees must complete their payments prior to the festival. If they miss a scheduled payment, they have 10 days to bring their account current, or their ticket order is cancelled. However, the attendee does receive a credit toward next year’s festival. Coachella first began offering installment plans in 2009, with just 18% of attendees opting in at the time. Since then, that number has grown significantly. However, with the rise of BNPL plans, promoters may soon face increased competition. “BNPL plans offering 0% interest and no fee loans will usurp any prepay plans requiring an upfront fee,” said Ben Danner, Senior Analyst of Credit and Commercial at Javelin Strategy & Research. “Especially with a festival like Coachella, which attracts a younger demographic who are already using BNPL.”
Banks tap affiliate marketing to grow digital-first products by connecting with highly targeted, intent-driven audiences and paying only by results
Affiliate marketing has matured into one of the financial service industry’s most reliable customer-acquisition channels. Banks and credit unions have come to value the affiliate channel for its ability to drive growth in deposit accounts, credit card investment and other products, but also for the precision by which its results can be measured. In most cases clients pay only for proven relationships, accounts opened or sales closed. When Bank Iowa in West Des Moines wanted to expand the reach of its deposit gathering beyond its core footprint, it turned to a CD Valet, a digital marketplace with an affiliate program that lets online depositors shop banks’ certificate of deposit offerings. Bank Iowa posted its rates on the site. The tactic has contributed to the institution doubling its CD portfolio over the past three years, to $615 million on Dec. 31. Marketing Director Josh Fleming called Bank Iowa’s partnership with CD Valet “one of our shiniest examples of an affiliate program that’s working well.” “When they work right, [affiliate] partnerships help banks establish relationships with high-target prospects they may not otherwise have been able to reach, and all without having to carry a ton of overhead costs,” Fleming told “You see a lot of digital marketing where people pay for just an impression or a click,” Sarah Carroll, marketing director at the Live Oak Bancshares in Wilmington, North Carolina, said. “This way, you can pay for an actual sale or account opening — something that actually flows through to a banking relationship.” Affiliate marketing has “become a cornerstone of performance strategy for financial services providers,” Christena Garduno, CEO at marketing agency Media Culture, said. “The ability to connect with highly targeted, intent-driven audiences through trusted publishers, creators and platforms has made affiliate marketing not just a complementary tactic, but a key driver of growth.” Kaveh Vadat, founder and President of RiseOpp, a fintech that offers fractional Chief Marketing Officer services, said, “People clicking through these channels are often comparison shopping, which means they’re further along in the decision-making process.” Today, affiliate marketing is a big business. U.S. companies of all types, including financial services providers, are projected to spend $12 billion on affiliate marketing in 2025, with outlays expected to grow to $16 billion by 2028, according to eMarketer. Use of affiliated marketing to date has tilted toward the retail side, according to Vadat. In addition to CDs and other deposit products, it has become a go-to strategy for credit cards, personal loans and investment robo advisors. “These products tend to be digital-first, which aligns well with how affiliate traffic behaves,” Vadat said. Echoing Vadat, Live Oak’s Carroll said consumer usage has outpaced that of business, though that imbalance “seems to be leveling out.” More and more institutions “are seeing the value of adding conversations and information around the business side, even if they had traditionally focused on [consumer content],” Carroll said. Even as its use becomes more widespread, Carroll doesn’t think affiliate marketing will displace traditional marketing mediums such as radio, television, print or even billboards. “All banks are probably going to be in those spaces. I don’t think they’re going away,” she said.
Instagram’s Locked Reels feature that requires users to unlock with a code and a provided hint to offer creators a way to share exclusive reels with their most dedicated fans
Instagram appears to be quietly testing locked reels that viewers would have to unlock with a code and a provided hint. The feature is a simple way to increase engagement with the creator’s content, but it could also offer creators and celebrities a way to share exclusive reels with their most dedicated fans, who are more likely to know the answer to hints. Instagram was spotted testing the feature on its Design account, where it shared a locked reel that prompts viewers to “Enter secret code.” The hint for the code is “1st # in the caption.” In this case, the code is “threads” — a reference to the first hashtag mentioned in the caption. Once you unlock the reel, you’ll see a banner that says “coming soon,” which appears to be the Design account’s announcement that it’s launching a profile on Threads. The new feature could also be used by creators and brands to launch promotions or marketing campaigns in a fun way. For instance, they could use locked reels for product reveals or to create buzz around launches. As for regular users, the new feature could be a fun way to share content with specific friends.