Welcome to the digital roundup - our pitstop guide to digital news.

Making the headlines this month:

1. UK Online Safety Act – ID rule changes
2. Google’s major spam update
3. PPC - Google’s AI Max for Search
4. Social platform updates
5. Need to know social trends

1. The UK Online Safety Act

There are new ID rules in the UK (and elsewhere), specifically relating to the UK's Online Safety Act. This could have knock-on effects for marketers.

Here's what you need to know:

• It has led to a rise in the usage of VPNs (virtual private networks) and anti-tracking behaviour online. With VPNs being the top downloaded apps on the Apple store.
• VPN use in the UK has jumped by 1800%
• This is leading to more unreliable reporting on Google Analytics and Google Search Console, particularly when it comes to segmenting users.
• This affects local PPC & SEO campaigns that heavily rely on location-based data to understand the behaviour of their target audience.
  
  

What you can do.

The new environment underscores the importance of collecting first-party data from customers through subscriptions, surveys, and meaningful website interactions.

2. Google August 2025 spam update

This is a big one. It’s their first update from Google of its kind for over 8 months. And it could even affect websites that don’t serve spam content.

It’s something we’re keeping a close eye on, but here's what you need to know:

• It will be rolling out over the next few weeks.
• Google are notoriously secretive about the content of updates, so the digital community has no information as of yet on the specific updates and impacts.
• For our SEO clients, we will be closely monitoring any fluctuations in keyword rankings or traffic in case of any potential disruptions caused by this update.

3. PPC - Google’s AI Max for Search is failing to convert.

Google's AI Max for Search campaigns launched recently. Although Google promised more conversions, early tests show many impressions yield no conversions.

How it works

Search Term Matching: Uses broad match and keywordless technology

Text Customisation: Automatically generates headlines and descriptions

Final URL Expansion: Directs users to optimised website pages rather than fixed destinations

Early test results

Data from multiple clients covering approximately. 30,000 search terms, show 99% of impressions resulted in no conversions.

What this means for brands.

The quality of landing pages, ad assets, and conversion tracking is more critical than ever. PPC still requires active management, not just AI automation.

4. Social platform updates

As ever, there are lots of changes. Here are the things you need to know.

• Instagram has added a feature to its insights, which shows users the exact slide people liked in their carousel post
• Q2 proved that video time was up on Instagram by 20%, suggesting Reels are still being favoured in the algorithm
• Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, also confirmed that not posting for a long period of time (1-2 months) WILL hurt your reach
• TikTok could go dark again in the US if President Trump doesn’t agree on a deal with China by 17 September, although Trump has hinted at another extension
• 74% of Gen Z use TikTok for search, closely followed by 49% of millennials
• Threads has reached over 400M active users
• LinkedIn has changed their algorithm to show posts from 3-4 weeks ago at the top of users’ feeds
  
  

5. Need to know social trends

We love a trend. But riding the right one is crucial. We’ve picked the ones that brands today can jump on board with right now.

It’s all in the edit.

With attention spans dwindling and the average person scrolling the height of the Eiffel Tower daily (that’s 94 minutes!). Taking a picture and posting is no longer enough; audiences want more.

And the answer is quality footage. Blending raw, real content with eye-catching graphics, text and motion effects. Most importantly, how it’s edited is key to stopping the scroll and keeping that attention.

This is a trend that is demanding more from the content and is giving brands a chance to show off their creativity.

Bringing IRL experiences online

Brands that can make real life interesting and engaging are winning on social right now.

How?

Brand pop-ups, community events and Influencer meet and greets have been at the forefront of marketing for many brands this Summer.

Why?

Events give brands the chance to raise awareness, hand out samples and connect with their community in person. Many people are looking for a digital detox in an over-consumerist generation, and an in-person experience provides more connection.

The Result:

Somewhat ironically, in-person events provide the perfect opportunity for authentic social content. Brand events result in many attendees capturing their IRL experience and sharing on social media, often also tagging the brand. This is a win-win for building a community while also gaining unpaid social media coverage.

Recent updates in the digital landscape mean new opportunities and challenges for brands everywhere. Need a hand navigating these changes? Refinery can help you leverage them to your advantage. Get in touch today to find out how.