News

Once Unimaginable, Publishers Are Preparing to Opt Out of Google Search

The nuclear option is gaining traction as web traffic collapses and Google refuses to negotiate with content creators.

The Lana’s Life x Claire’s partnership is a Roblox giveaway blended with real-world retail

After enduring multiple rounds of bankruptcy filings, Claire's could use a win, and it's hoping that the Roblox community can deliver a sales boost. A partnership between the retailer and the popular creator Lana's Life will bring Roblox-inspired items to 866 Claire's locations in the U.S. and Canada. Lana Rae, the woman behind Lana's Life, is known for serving up looks in Dress to Impress, a Roblox game that has been played more than ten billion times to date. To bring Rae's virtual glam into the real world, Claire's enlisted her for a line of cosmetics, accessories, and squishies, including a handful of items that are exclusively available at Claire's. Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Google’s “platform properties” turn search data into an asset for creators

Google is sitting on a treasure trove of statistical data, and it's putting those data points to work. Creators can now use the Google Search Console to analyze "platform properties," a term that encompasses profiles on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X. The Google Search Console lets users track the search terms that bring the most traffic to their webpages. The platform properties option applies the same approach to social media channels. By adding their accounts to their Search Console hubs, creators can measure their overall Google Search traffic while also identifying the videos that show up most often on results pages. Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Can YouTube gamify its videos? Two ‘Mario Kart’ fans pulled it off.

A playable version of Rainrow Road has come to YouTube. The notable Mario Kart level is featured in a video that utilizes YouTube's 360-degree format to turn the platform's video player into an interactive experience. The video uses keyboard controls to present a bare-bones version of Mario Kart's technicolor track. By changing the orientation of the 360-degree interface, players can dodge obstacles and progress through the level. YouTube's captions even enable a rudimentary "character select" feature, letting players choose between seven of Nintendo's iconic racers. Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

TikTok’s new ad product helps brands distribute and scale their microdramas

Microdramas aren't just a growing entertainment trend -- the short-form, serialized format is a hit with brands, too. As more advertisers use microdramas to connect with potential customers, TikTok is unveiling a tool that makes those videos more efficient and scalable. TikTok Growth Max, a scaling solution designed for "content partners and advertisers in high-engagement verticals," is now available on the videos TikTok calls Mini Dramas. As TikTok puts it, "Growth Max supercharges Mini Dramas by leveraging advertising automation and onsite signals to reach high-intent audiences and drive more revenue and better ad performance." Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week: A clean sweep from FIFA

'Tis the season for festive holiday beverages, and some of YouTube's biggest channels are raising their glasses. MrBeast led the way with an assortment of hot drinks on offer, while a handful of other sponsored videos depicted boozier methods for keeping warm. Each family is different, but if your folks like sharing cozy meals with each other during December, read on. Millions have already used these videos as inspiration for their seasonal recipes. Will you join the club? Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Can creators like iShowSpeed help YouTube win World Cup broadcast rights?

The bidding war for World Cup broadcast rights is in full swing, and YouTube is in the mix. As the platform's creator community plays a pivotal role on soccer's biggest stage, its dealmakers are angling to air the 2030 and 2034 editions of the FIFA tournament. According to CNBC, the suitors for the World Cup broadcast rights include Netflix, Disney, and YouTube, with Amazon and Apple rumored to be considering bids as well. FOX paid $485 million for the rights to this year's Cup, but the next two editions of the tourney will fetch a higher price tag, because FIFA plans to bundle the English- and Spanish-language rights in the U.S. Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

‘Subway Takes’ earns Emmy nomination as YouTube’s push (sorta) pays off

The show that uses MetroCards as microphones has earned a nomination at the 2026 Emmy Awards. Subway Takes, the YouTube-hosted series led by Kareem Rahma, will vie for a winged statuette in the category of Best Short Form Comedy, Drama, or Variety Series. Since 2023, Rahma has put a unique spin on the man-on-the-street interview format by inviting his guests to unleash their hottest takes as they ride in a New York City subway car. Nearly 750 million YouTube views later, Subway Takes has become a pop culture touchstone that richly deserves the Emmy recognition it received. Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

3 Quick Takeaways From the 2026 Emmy Nominations

From Widow's Bay scaring up accolades to NBC's strategy, here are ADWEEK's Emmys takeaways.

NewsNation’s New York Bureau Forced to Evacuate Due to Potential Building Collapse

The news network’s sister station, the local affiliate WPIX-TV, had to quickly find new workspaces.

IAB’s David Cohen: AI Is Doing to the Internet What the Internet Did to Traditional Media

CANNES, France — Three decades after digital advertising disrupted traditional media, artificial intelligence is triggering an equally fundamental rethinking of measurement frameworks, supply chain architecture, and the role agents play in mediating brand-consumer relationships. “If you think back to the beginning of the industry 30 years ago, the internet disrupted traditional media back then and […]

WPP Media’s Adam Shlachter: At Cannes, Creators have Gone From ‘Rough and Raw’ to ‘Primetime Programming’

CANNES, France — Creator content has evolved from unpolished user-generated material into sophisticated prime-time programming, transforming how brands approach storytelling partnerships. Still, brands and agencies are still figuring out how best to connect creators and audiences. Naturally, it was a frequent topic at this year’s Cannes Lions. “The creators that we grew up with that […]

Automattic’s ‘Code for the People’ Documentary Is a Rallying Cry for Users to Fight for the Open Internet

The free and open internet faces threats from companies propagating walled gardens designed to control your data and the rise of black-box AI systems. To preserve the vitality of the digital commons, individuals must take action to support the principles behind open-source code. That’s the message from “Code for the People,” a short documentary film […]

How SEO Teams Stopped Guessing Which AI Search Strategies Paid Off via @sejournal, @lorenbaker

Navigate the complexities of AI search and discover why traditional testing methods do not apply to language models. The post How SEO Teams Stopped Guessing Which AI Search Strategies Paid Off appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Paramount Advertising: The new playbook for sports, streaming and fandom

Intuit continues its agency shakeup with a nearly $1 billion US media review

After hiring Mother New York, Intuit is turning its attention to its mammoth media business.

The New Era Of Beverages | McDonald's - 30s

Sloane Skala

World War Seven, the LA-based boutique comedy production house, has promoted Sloane Skala from Executive Producer to Managing Director and Partner.

Inflation-Wary Parents Turn to AI to Thrift for Back-to-School Deals

More than half of consumers will use AI to help them with back-to-school shopping this year

Integral Ad Science’s New CEO Dishes on Her Plans for the Company

Two days into the job, Lidiane Jones tells ADWEEK where she wants to take IAS– from AI chatbots to M&A.

Home Depot adds 7-Eleven, Jimmy John’s as pro loyalty partners

Every quarter the retailer will refresh its pro loyalty partnership offers, which span four lifestyle and business categories.

Brent Montgomery’s Wheelhouse, Social Platform Zigazoo Launch Studio to Develop Content From Young Creators (EXCLUSIVE)

Brent Montgomery’s media company Wheelhouse and kids and teens-friendly social media platform Zigazoo have teamed on a new studio that will develop projects based on content from Gen Alpha stars on the TikTok-style app. Named Zigazoo Studios, the joint venture will focus on developing content, live experiences, consumer products, brand partnerships and new business ventures […]

Union Video Game Workers ‘Extremely Disappointed’ With Xbox Leadership Following Layoffs (Gaming News Roundup)

Microsoft laid off 1,600 employees across its Xbox division this week, including hundreds of union video game workers represented by Communications Workers of America. The workforce reduction comes in addition to what new CEO Asha Sharma calls the “most significant restructure” in the Microsoft division’s history. Microsoft announced approximately 4,800 total job cuts across the […]

OpenAI GPT-Live Brings Search Into ChatGPT Voice via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

OpenAI has begun rolling out GPT-Live, new voice models for ChatGPT that can run a web search and show visual answers while you talk. The post OpenAI GPT-Live Brings Search Into ChatGPT Voice appeared first on Search Engine Journal.