We wanted to better understand CMOs' perceptions around the value of SEM and the strategic role it plays in driving growth for the enterprise. We know that SEM makes up the largest Digital Marketing budget line for CMOs, but globally ROI metrics have dipped – indicating evolving needs for both CMOs and consumers when it comes to this function. If we can understand where their gaps exist, as applied to SEM, we can help the CMO build a stronger Marketing portfolio. As advertisers become more demanding, the cadence with which their data refreshes need to be met is picking up, hence the Search Console updates. However, even with fresher data, this update still doesn't address why something may be happening and how to fix it.

Marketers are increasingly using AI to streamline workflows and automate monotonous tasks. According to an Adobe survey, about 15 percent of agencies are already using some form of machine learning, and 31 percent are planning to adopt it by the end of 2019. London-based Adthena is hoping to lure some of those soon-to-be customers with its AI-driven search marketing intelligence platform. Roughly seven years after its founding and a year after it established a presence in the U.S., the company is today announcing that it has raised $14 million in a series A funding round led by Updata Partners, bringing its total venture capital raised to $18.1 million. Founder and CEO Ian O'Rourke says the funds will be used to accelerate the company's stateside and global growth and to "strengthen" product development as it prepares to launch new channels.

Google announced new automated processes for AdWords that will go into effect starting April 29, per an email to customers made available to Marketing Dive by Adthena. The changes will use artificial intelligence and related technologies to make suggestions for optimizing ad campaigns run on the platform. Those suggestions will be generated based on prior campaigns, including from ad headlines, descriptions, extensions and other relevant information found on landing pages. After receiving a notification about the suggestions, AdWords users will have 14 days to review them before they automatically go into effect. Users will be able to edit, pause or remove the suggestions, as well as opt out of the suggestions feature altogether, the company said.