A lot happens in a week, so every Friday we analyze the new data and provide key takeaways. Welcome to Friday 5.

This week, marketers look beyond Google Search to YouTube, ChatGPT, and Amazon, while dealing with an influx of consumer data. Meanwhile, women’s sports are on the rise as advertisers invest more in leagues, teams, and athletes.

Key stat: The most important search engine for senior marketers, aside from Google, is still owned by Google. Google's YouTube is the top search engine other than Google for marketing leaders worldwide, according to Botify.

• ChatGPT and Amazon are the next biggest search engines after Google.
• Google accounts for the highest share of US search ad revenues (52.0%), followed by Amazon (22.1%), per our forecast.
• Though ChatGPT does not yet serve ads, it’s influencing how marketers think about SEO.

Key stat: Despite ChatGPT’s rise, Google is still the king of search. Google processes more than 5 trillion searches per year, according to the giant.

• The last time Google shared a similar figure was in 2016, when it reported more than 2 trillion searches, per Search Engine Land.
• US desktop users performed an average of 126 unique searches per month in 2024, according to SparkToro.

Key stat: All those searches and online actions add up. Marketers are handling 230% more data than in 2020, according to Supermetrics.

• More data means more to parse through. As a result, 56% of marketers don’t have enough time to analyze data effectively, the report found.
• The glut of data creates an opportunity for ad tech providers to introduce AI-based solutions that can streamline data analysis.

Key stat: More industry tools don’t guarantee better results. Some 76% of agencies feel the quality of creative work is not improving, even with more tools, according to BetterBriefs.

• Creative breakdown can stem from a lack of communication and trust. Seven in 10 agencies are unclear on client feedback, and the same amount don’t trust the creative judgment of marketers with whom they work.
• As a result, it takes an average of five rounds of rework to secure approval of a creative idea, per BetterBriefs.

Key stat: Women’s sports are experiencing a sponsorship growth spurt. Women’s sports saw a 12% increase in sponsorships YoY during the 2024 to 2025 season, according to SponsorUnited.

• Men’s sports saw 8% growth over the same period, showing sports as a whole doing well with advertisers.
• The WNBA and NWSL saw the most growth in sponsorships, at 19% each, as platforms, advertisers, and viewers invested in star athletes like Caitlin Clark and the US women’s national soccer team.

This was originally featured in the EMARKETER Daily newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.