Weekly Marketing Rundown - February 2nd, 2024

Hi everyone, This week's edition includes new updates to performance max, new generative ai tools, and more.  Let's dive in Google Announces New Updates to Performance Max Campaigns Last week, Google announced updates to their Performance Max campaigns at the Performance Max conference in Dublin. Update #1 - You can now target individual landing pages with your performance max campaigns. Previous settings only allowed you to target all pages.   Update #2 - You can now optimize to target "Disengaged Users". First party data paired with Google's Ai can work to target users who appear to have lapsed in their usage of your content/products.   Update #3 - You can now let smart bidding optimize for high-value customers.   Update #4 - You can now use account-level negative keywords. This was a heavily anticipated updated that will make it much easier to exclude unwanted traffic to your site.   Update #5 - You can now use account-level brand exclusions.   Update #6 - Smart bidding can now optimize for in-store sales.   Update #7 - Creative assets with generative ai tools.   Update #8 - You can now enter your URL and some basic information to create a campaign outline.   Update #9 - You can now a/b test performance max campaigns   Update #10 - Improved search term insights - you can now pull search data from custom date ranges.   Update #11 - Conversion lift studies, which will help you analyze how many of your performance max conversions were incremental   Update #12 - Merchant center will be integrating directly into Google ads   For more in-depth information/analysis on each update, read this week's edition of the PPC Edge from Bob Meijer & Miles McNair using the link below. https://www.ppcmastery.com/blog/tpe-47-12-new-pmax-updates Vimeo Announces New Generative Ai Tools On Tuesday, Vimeo CEO Anjali Sud announced via LinkedIn new AI-powered video tools for Vimeo users. Tools included in this update are: - Script generator that turns your ideas into a full script - Built-in teleprompter - Text-based editing, which can be used to remove words such as "um" Click the link below to see her post on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/anjalisud_i-broke-the-cardinal-rule-and-let-my-team-ugcPost-7076790013031542784-z1gf/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Control Over Audience Expansion Gone for Performance Campaigns on Meta Meta, after announcing a while ago that they would, has officially removed the option to control detailed targeting expansion for performance campaigns. In the past, there was an option under your interest targeting settings allowing you to choose whether or not to include detailed targeting expansion in your ads. That option is now gone, and by default, Facebook will run your ad with detailed targeting expansion enabled. It's worth noting that this won't affect any age/gender/location parameters that you've put in your ads, just your detailed targeting settings. For more information, click on the link below. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bramvanderhallen_facebookads-digitalmarketing-digitaladvertising-activity-7076817566655995904-rvKj/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Instagram Users Can Now Download Public Reels On Wednesday of this week, Instagram allows users to download other users' IG Reels to their camera rolls. Instagram is doing this to let users download their Reels and share them on other social media platforms. Users can easily download their Reels by pressing the share icon and the download option button. The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, noted that Reels only allows downloads if the user's account is public. Moreover, the users will have the option to disallow the downloads as they wish. For more information, you can read the article from TechCrunch linked below.  https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/20/instagram-now-finally-allows-users-to-download-public-reels/ New Attribution Setting for Google Analytics 4 Google Analytics' most recent update now allows advertisers to select which channels can receive conversion credit.  The two available options now are "Google paid channels" and "Paid and organic channels". This should aid advertiser's ability to see conversion paths from a broader view that includes channels beyond Google, such as social and email.  For more on this, click the link below.  https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7077559511430897664/ Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights into digital marketing, make sure to follow us on our social media channels using the links below.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kavanahmedia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/78328025/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KavanahMedia   Authors: Sean Ralls and Joel Overstreet Article Published: June 23, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - May 17th, 2024 Hi everyone, In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we'll talk about advertiser-branded QR codes on YouTube, Netflix entering the ad technology space, and more. Let's dive in.  YouTube Introduces QR Codes for Advertisers to Enhance Viewer Engagement YouTube is set to enhance interactivity within its advertising platform by introducing QR codes that advertisers can incorporate into their ads. This new feature allows viewers to scan QR codes displayed in video ads to directly access websites, promotions, or additional information, bridging the gap between advertisement and action seamlessly. The introduction of QR codes aims to simplify the process for viewers to engage with ad content, potentially increasing conversion rates and providing advertisers with a direct and measurable way to gauge ad performance. The deployment of QR codes within ads represents a strategic move by YouTube to adapt to evolving digital marketing trends, where convenience and quick access are highly valued by consumers. This feature not only facilitates a smoother viewer experience by eliminating the need to manually search for the advertised product or service but also enhances the ability for advertisers to offer more complex and interactive content. As this feature rolls out, it could significantly shift the dynamics of viewer engagement on the platform, offering a more interactive and integrated approach to video advertising on YouTube. For more on this, click on the link below: https://9to5google.com/2024/05/15/youtube-advertiser-qr-codes/ Google to Limit Functionality in Suspended Ads Accounts Starting June 2024 Starting in June 2024, Google will enforce new restrictions on the functionality of suspended Google Ads accounts. Advertisers whose accounts have been suspended will still be able to access them, but their capabilities within these accounts will be significantly reduced. The following capabilities will still be there for suspended accounts: - Billing options: Make a payment, download tax documents, add a payment method - Account settings: Cancel account and claim refunds - Appeals and verification: Appeal a suspension, complete advertiser verification - Security Settings: Update security settings within the Google Ads account - Navigate to any page on their Google Ads account - Read information and download associated reports from their Google Ads account All other actions will be disabled until the suspension is removed.  For more on this, click on the link below: https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/14899401?hl=en#:~:text=Advertisers%20will%20be%20informed%20in,documents%2C%20add%20a%20payment%20method Netflix is Developing In-House Advertising Technology  Netflix is taking significant steps to advance its advertising capabilities by developing an in-house advertising technology platform. This strategic move is aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of ad delivery on its streaming service. By transitioning to a proprietary system, Netflix seeks to better control the integration and management of advertisements, offering a more seamless viewing experience for subscribers who opt for ad-supported plans. This shift suggests a potential decrease in reliance on third-party advertising partners and technology, which could streamline operations and potentially increase ad revenue. As Netflix continues to innovate within the competitive streaming market, this in-house approach may provide the flexibility and agility needed to adapt quickly to changing market demands and viewer preferences. For more on this, click on the link below: https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/15/netflix-in-house-advertising-technology-platform/ Meta Faces New EU Probe Over Allegations of Addictive Algorithms Harming Children Meta is under scrutiny once again as it faces a new probe by the European Union regarding its algorithms. This investigation aims to determine if Meta's algorithms violate EU laws designed to protect minors from digital harms. Concerns have been raised about the nature of content delivery mechanisms used by platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which may prioritize engagement at the risk of exacerbating issues related to mental health among young users. The EU's inquiry will examine the specific ways in which Meta's algorithms engage users and the extent to which these methods may be considered harmful. This probe is part of broader efforts by the EU to enforce stricter regulations on digital platforms, ensuring they uphold a high standard of responsibility, especially when it comes to protecting younger audiences. Meta's practices have come under increasing pressure as regulators push for more transparency and accountability in how social media companies operate their algorithms and manage user data, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children. Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on our social media channels using the link below.  https://linktr.ee/kavanahmedia Author: Sean Ralls Article Published: May 17th, 2024