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Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 25th, 2023 Hi everyone, In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we'll talk about a new placement for Instagram ads, multiple TikTok updates, and a new YouTube search feature on the horizon. Let's dive in.  You Can Now Select "Instagram Profile" as an Ad Destination Meta is releasing a new destination option for Instagram in Ads Manager. The new ad format will show 'Visit Instagram profile' as the call to action option on the ad, with the goal of helping advertisers increase engagement and following on their profiles. As of now, this option is only available using the traffic objective. For more on this, click on the link below: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bramvanderhallen_facebookads-instagram-digitalmarketing-activity-7099636877611180032-qSPQ/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop New Report Claims that TikTok Plans to Ban Links to Outside E-commerce Sites TikTok is reportedly planning to ban outside e-commerce links, hoping to increase sales on its own TikTok Shop. Users would then only be able to buy items promoted by creators through TikTok Shop. ByteDance aims to create an international shopping business like Douyin, which had over $200 billion in merchandise volume last year. TikTok is testing a new in-app Trendy Beat shopping section. For more on this, click on the link below: https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/23/tiktok-plans-ban-links-outside-e-commerce-sites-like-amazon-new-report-claims/ TikTok Now Allowing Advertisers to Buy Ads That Appear in Search Results Earlier this week, TikTok announced a new ads placement option called "Search Ads Toggle" that will allow advertisers to place ads within the search results page. It's important to note that this placement works in line with video ad buys and is not a standalone product. Advertisers will have the option to include negative keywords to prevent ads from showing in unwanted places. The new placement has shown positive results in early testing. For more on this, click the link below: https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/22/tiktok-now-lets-brands-buy-ads-that-appear-in-the-apps-search-results/ YouTube is Testing a Search Feature That Identifies Songs Through Humming YouTube is testing a new song search feature on its Android app that allows users to discover songs by humming, singing, or recording them for three or more seconds. The platform then directs the user to relevant YouTube videos, including official music videos, user-generated content, or Shorts. For more on this, click on the link below: https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/23/youtube-tests-search-feature-users-hum-sing-identify-songs/ 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: August 25th, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 18th, 2023 Hi everyone, In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we'll talk about a new Google Ads Performance Max update, updates to Reels Ads, and more. Let's dive in.  Google Can Now Take Images From Your Product Feed to Generate Video Ads Google Ads recently released an update for performance max campaigns that now allows them to turn images from your product feed into video ads for YouTube and YouTube shorts. Google (and other platforms) have been making a push towards Ai generated content for ads over the last few months. With this being a new update, it's unclear how it will positively or negatively impact the performance of your Pmax campaigns. If you're against the concept of Google auto-generating PMax ads for you, it's important that you add your own assets for all of the available placements to ensure Google is running ads you created. For more on this, click to read the article below: https://www.ppcmastery.com/blog/tpe-55-urgent-pmax-news-end-of-feed-only Instagram is Testing a New Format for Multi-Advertiser Reels Ads. Similar to regular multi-advertiser ads, multiple ads are appearing on the screen at one time. However, in the new format, the ads are showing on their own dedicated screen, rather than in gallery form underneath an in-feed ad. It’s unclear at this time when this update will be rolled out to everyone. Advertisers do have the option to opt out if they choose. To read more about this, click the link below: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagrams-testing-new-reels-display-multi-advertiser-ads/691124/ Telegram Adds a Stories Feature In a much-anticipated move, Telegram has added a stories feature for its 700 million monthly active users around the world. This feature is expected to work very similarly to the stories feature found on Meta apps and Snapchat, with a few additional features. On Telegram, you can edit your stories even after they have gone live, and more granular settings on who in your contacts can see them. For more on this, read the article below: https://dataconomy.com/2023/08/15/how-to-post-a-story-on-telegram-stories/ X, Formerly Twitter, Now Sorts Posts by Like Count on Profiles When Signed Out X (previously known as Twitter) has implemented several recent changes, including altering the sorting algorithm for logged-out users. This new system prioritizes posts based on the number of likes, which has the unintended consequence of burying recent posts and reducing the effectiveness of pinned posts. Additionally, X Pro is now exclusively available to verified subscribers, marking another significant shift under Musk's tenure. To read more about this, click below: https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/16/x-formerly-twitter-now-sorts-posts-like-count-profiles-when-signed-out/ 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: August 18th, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 11th, 2023 Hi everyone, In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we have lots of new Meta ads updates, an update to Google Ads scripts, and a new TikTok update related to Ai generated content. Let's dive in.  9 New Meta Ads Updates - EU advertisers can now set default payer and beneficiary information for their accounts. This can be done in your ad account settings. - Suggested Ads on Advantage + shopping campaigns. - You can now combine lead forms as a browser add on for your website when running ads with a leads objective. - When you add a Custom Audience that is too small, you will now receive a prompt telling you to change or remove it. - You can now run 4-day a/b tests with catalog ads. - You can now compare attribution settings on your iOS app campaigns. - You can now run up to 3 Advantage+ app campaigns with identical targeting and optimization settings at the same time. - You can now include or exclude postal codes for Advantage+ app campaigns For more on this, click the link below https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bramvanderhallen_facebookads-digitalmarketing-digitaladvertising-activity-7094671069625610240-w5FA/ TikTok Adds New Required Labels for AI-Generated Content TikTok now requires users to tag AI-generated content, especially if it shows "realistic scenes." They updated their rules on this in March and provided creators with a dedicated tag for AI-generated content. This move is ahead of other platforms like Instagram and YouTube. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, has already added AI labels to the Chinese version of the platform. Click below to learn more: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-adds-new-required-labels-for-ai-generated-content/690454/ Google Ads Scripts Now Support the Ads API's "Mutate" Function This week, Google Ads rolled out an update to Google Ads Scripts now allowing advertisers to use the Ads API's mutate function. What are Google Ads Scripts? - Google Ads Scripts are pieces of javascript code used to automate functions within your Google Ads account. These automations can do things such as automatically adjusting bidding or automating reports. What is the "Mutate" Function? - To put it simply, the mutate function allows you to create, update, and remove resources at depth and specificity that was previously not supported in Google Ads. When should I use this? If a script can automate a task without losing accuracy and quality, then it is likely a smart move. However, there are some things to keep in mind before you start inserting scripts into your ad account. 1. If you are not a developer and/or don't have access to one, be extremely careful. Many scripts have the power to delete and change things in your account that would have a profound impact on your efforts. 2. You don't necessarily have to code it from scratch. Many tried and tested scripts are available for free online. We still recommend having a developer look at it and adjust the proper sections to ensure that the script works as advertised on your account. For a more detailed explanation of the update to Google Ads scripts, read the article linked below: https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-scripts-usher-in-a-new-era-with-api-access-430413 Reels Creators Angered Over Meta Revenue Share Payments Error Meta corrected notifications to short-form video creators regarding Music Revenue Sharing payouts that were mistakenly sent after a glitch in the system caused some Facebook creators to be notified that they would receive tens of thousands of dollars from the program, according to Fortune. Click below to learn more. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/reels-creators-angered-over-meta-revenue-share-payments-error/689822/ Meta Forcing Businesses to Enable Checkout with Facebook or Instagram As of August 10th, no more shops in the United States using third-party partners can be brought into Meta without having checkout with Facebook or Instagram enabled. What this essentially means is that if you are selling any products on Facebook, you need to enable the option for users to checkout within the app, rather than them clicking and being forced to checkout off-platform. This doesn't mean that you can't advertise eCommerce on your website, but simply that the option to checkout within the app is a requirement. For more on this, read the official documentation from Meta linked below: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/623552069600842 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: August 11th, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 4th, 2023 Hi everyone, In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we have some new updates/developments from Meta, a new lawsuit against ByteDance regarding their popular video editing app CapCut, as well as a blog post detailing every targeting option that Meta advertisers can currently use. Let's dive in. Subtle Meta Ads Targeting Update Earlier this week, Meta rolled a new update out to some ad accounts that appeared to remove the option to use manual placements. It's important to note that even if it is not visible in the normal spot on your ad account that this is still an option. All you have to do is select the dropdown that says "Show More Options." For more on this, read the post linked below https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7092080232458772480/ Meta Is Developing AI Chatbots with Over 30 Different Personalities Meta is creating AI chatbots that can communicate as various personas, such as historical figures and stereotypical characters. They are currently developing over 30 personalities, and the tools will soon be available on Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. These chatbots will be accessible within DM threads, and they are expected to launch in September. Additionally, Meta is working on visual creation tools for Instagram, text assistants for WhatsApp, and more advanced video features. Click below to learn more. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/metas-developing-ai-chatbots-over-30-different-personalities/689641/ Lawsuit Alleges ByteDance’s CapCut App Secretly Reaps Massive Amounts of User Data A proposed class action lawsuit filed in an Illinois federal court alleges that CapCut, a video editing app owned by ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, has been gathering substantial amounts of private data, including facial scans, from its 200 million active users. The data collection practices have reportedly generated significant profits and raised concerns about potential access by the Chinese government. ByteDance has been in hot water for some time now, as there have been talks of shutting down TikTok in the U.S. going on among government officials around the world for close to a year now.  For more on this, click to read the article below: https://therecord.media/capcut-privacy-lawsuit-illinois-bipa-bytedance-china How Social Media Can Build Trust and Engagement Within Your Community In today's world, social media platforms have become instrumental in establishing trust among consumers for brands. It is believed that trust in a brand has become even more crucial than ever and is based on multiple factors like quality, mission, and reputation. For more on how modern brands are using social to interact with their target audience, click the link below: https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/how-social-media-can-build-trust-and-engagement-in-your/454279 Meta Targeting Options - Blog from Jon Loomer Meta's ad platform is full of options for targeting. Some have been taken away in recent years, but still, advancements in other areas have allowed advertisers to thrive. But with all of the options still on the table, it can be hard to find the right fit for achieving your goals. Below is a blog post from Jon Loomer talking through all of the different targeting options available on Meta. Click below to learn more. https://www-jonloomer-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.jonloomer.com/meta-ads-targeting/amp/ 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: August 4th, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 28th, 2023 Hi everyone, In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we'll talk about X (aka Twitter), TikTok's new ad library, and more. Let's dive in.  Twitter is Now "X" Twitter, in a much-anticipated move, has officially rebranded its platform to "X". This is a significant step in Elon Musk's vision to turn what was formerly known as Twitter into an all-in-one super app, similar to WeChat in China. This move does not come without complications. Twitter doesn't own the rights to the name "X" - currently Microsoft and Meta own trademarks for it in two separate categories within the United States. Elon and the X legal team are likely in for a long legal battle in multiple countries around the world to protect their brand. While many new features appear to be on the horizon, for now, the only changes are the logo. All functionality remains the same as it was on Twitter. X is making an effort to regain ad partnerships and emphasize the advantages of X ads. Twitter is struggling with low ad intake, despite offering 50% discounts and threatening to remove checkmarks from brands that don't spend regularly. The company is meeting with ad partners to maintain relationships to improve revenue intake with big brands and remain confident in its ability to return to even footing and take the platform to new heights. For more on this, read the articles below https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/the-x-era-gets-underway-the-app-formerly-known-as-twitter/688814/ https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/x-offers-50-discounts-ad-packages-seeks-reignite-advertiser-interest/689092/ Facebook Passes 3 Billion Monthly Active Users We've all heard people say a phrase along the lines of "Nobody uses Facebook anymore". The marketing analytics have proved this isn't true for a while now, but recently released numbers from Meta have blown that assumption out of the water. According to Meta's Q2 report, Facebook has now passed 3 billion monthly active users (MAU) on the app. Daily active users (DAU) are over 2 billion as well. Other key metrics are looking good for Meta too. Their entire suite of platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads) have 3.88 billion monthly active users. Reels boasts 200 billion daily video plays across all platforms as well. For more on this, click to read the article below https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/26/facebook-3-billion-users/?guccounter=1 TikTok Launches New Ad Library Recently, TikTok released a new feature for advertisers called the ad library. Similar to Meta's, TikTok's ad library allows users to see ads that have run through a certain page. TikTok's ad library appears to have a bit more sophistication involved compared to Meta's. You can search and filter down by ad target country, ad type, ad published date, and advertiser name or keyword. It gets even better from there. From there you can see some extremely detailed settings, such as the ads reach, gender and location targeting, as well as potential audience size. For more on this, click the link below https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bramvanderhallen_tiktok-competitoranalysis-digitalmarketing-activity-7087748289952919552-k2zN/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Threads Has Seen a Significant Decline in Usage Threads, an app created by Meta to rival Twitter, has seen a decrease in user activity since its launch. This may be due to its limited features, lack of options for posting, and absence of a desktop app or account-switching functionality. However, if new features are added, it could still become a strong competitor to Twitter. Despite the recent drop in interest, the app has still managed to attract 117 million users who have created profiles. It remains to be seen whether Threads can regain its popularity. Daily active users are currently sitting around roughly 13 million.  For more on this, click the link below https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/threads-sees-significant-decline-usage-opportunity-disruption/688715/ 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: July 28th, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 21st, 2023 Hi everyone, In this week's edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we'll talk about a Facebook ads update combining instant forms with traffic ads, multiple creative updates, as well as new direct message setting within Twitter. Let's dive in.  Instant Form Browser Add-On for Website Conversion Ads Earlier this week, Meta released a new mobile-only feature for ads that combines traffic ads with embedded instant forms.  To put it simply, this new update allows advertisers to (using the leads objective) run an ad that sends traffic to their website, with a Meta ads instant form then appearing directly on the screen. As of now, this feature is mobile-only as it relies on the Facebook built-in browser to make it work.  Setting up for this ad type can be a bit tricky. We've attached a blog post from Jon Loomer with instructions on how to do it below.  https://www.jonloomer.com/instant-form-browser-add-on/ Meta Announces New Video Features for Facebook as It Looks to Align With Broader Usage Trends Meta has recently changed the name of its 'Watch' tab to 'Video' to reflect its expansion into an entertainment platform. The Video tab now offers all kinds of video content, such as Reels and live videos. Users can easily browse through their personalized feed and quickly access recommended reels. Meta is following TikTok's strategy of showcasing the most popular content based on users' interests, which increases the time spent on both Facebook and Instagram. For more information on this, click on the article below. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-announces-new-video-features-facebook-looks-align/688131/ Pixels Are Now Listed Under Datasets Within Ads Manager If you're having trouble finding your pixels, don't worry. Meta has begun moving pixels into a section called "datasets". Datasets are different from pixels in that it contains web, app, and offline events in a singular view, making it easier for advertisers to manage and view data from different sources.  For more on this, click the link below: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bramvanderhallen_facebookads-digitalmarketing-activity-7085582717672644609-INcV/ YouTube is Testing a New ‘Stable Volume’ Feature Across its Mobile Apps YouTube is currently testing a new feature called "Stable Volume." This feature aims to provide a consistent volume level across all videos, addressing the common problem of videos being too loud or soft. Similar sound leveling features have been available on other media providers like smart TVs and sound systems for some time. YouTube creator M. Brandon Lee has suggested that this feature may work as a normalizer and compressor, ensuring that there are no sudden changes in volume between different parts of a video. For more information on this, click on the articles below. https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/17/youtube-is-testing-a-new-stable-volume-feature-across-its-mobile-apps/ Twitter Changes DM Settings Preventing Users Who Don't Pay for Twitter Blue From Messaging You Twitter's new feature for direct messages allows users to receive DMs only from verified Twitter users and users they follow. Non-Twitter Blue subscribers are prevented from messaging users with open DMs. This change was made to promote Twitter Blue's monthly subscription program. Messages from verified users who aren't followed will be sent to the message request inbox. If you are advertising on Twitter and are looking for messages you probably want to pay the $8 for Twitter Blue.  For more information on this, click on the articles below. https://mashable.com/article/twitter-new-dm-option-verified-only-promotes-twitter-blue-change-it 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: July 21st, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 14th, 2023   Hi Everyone We hope you've had a great week. In this edition of our weekly marketing rundown, we'll talk about marketing insights from the first half of 2023, enhanced security in communication through WhatsApp and Instagram, as well as next steps for Threads in the European Union. Let's dive in.    H1 Global Marketing Insights - Marketing Dive This week, marketing dive released a collection of marketing data from the first half of 2023. Here are a few of the notable statistics: Youtube ads reached 2.07 billion globally - 2x the reach of TikTok It doesn't take insider knowledge to know that Youtube is a global powerhouse in video content. The most notable part of this statistic is the latter half, stating TikTok has only half the reach. At first glance, that looks bad on TikTok - but 1 billion in reach is no small feat for a social media platform. TikTok's future in the US and some European countries is still up in the air, but the app continues to grow at an impressive pace.  51% of marketers have increased investment in marketing analytics Our team at Kavanah is a part of that 51%. Making the commitment to upscale your analytics is something we see as a necessary step to take your campaigns to the next level, regardless of the platform you're advertising on. This may mean a financial commitment to analytics software such as a paid SEO tool (Yoast, Semrush, etc.) or third-party analytics. In many cases, this will mean an increased time commitment within the tools you already have, such as Google Tag Manager. Nearly 60% of ROI is generated through long-term advertising Digital marketing is a long game. Short-term results are always welcomed, but you should never forget the importance of consistency in the long term, regardless of your context.  For the full list, read the article below https://www.marketingdive.com/news/marketing-data-2023/653372/ New Meta Feature Allows Video Calls Using Avatars Meta has introduced a new feature that allows users to use avatars to make and answer video calls on Instagram and Messenger. This means that users can participate in video calls without showing their faces. The new functionality is available on both iOS and Android. Additionally, Meta is testing an easier way to create avatars on Facebook and WhatsApp. Users can take a live selfie and receive a suggested avatar option generated from their selfie. The company is also rolling out the ability for users' avatars to hang out with their friends' avatars in stickers. Meta says it is standardizing the look of avatars across all its platforms. For more information on this, click on the article below https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/11/you-can-now-use-your-meta-avatar-to-answer-video-calls-on-instagram-and-messenger/ WhatsApp Communities is testing a new feature called "phone number privacy". Previously member phone numbers could be hidden in WhatsApp communities, however, people were still able to access them if someone were to react to a message within the group. WhatsApp is testing a new feature that when turned on, prevents anyone from seeing your phone number, with the exception of community admins and people in your contacts. This is among a string of security features that WhatsApp has added in recent months, including locked chats. For more on this coming update, read the article below: https://www.engadget.com/whatsapp-will-keep-your-phone-number-completely-private-in-community-chats-141536708.html When Will Threads be Available to EU Users? Meta Faces New Assessment Process Threads has become extremely popular in the last week, with signups already reaching over 100 million people. However, EU users have not gotten access to the app yet. The question is, when will the EU allow Threads to go live in Europe? The EU has regulated new rules for privacy protection for users to enable themselves what can be accessed. Threads is currently in a state of uncertainty until EU regulators fully evaluate the platform and its compliance with the new regulations. For more information on this, click on the article below https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/threads-available-eu-users-meta-faces-new-assessment/686041/ 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: July 14th, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 7th, 2023 Hi everyone, We hope you've had a fantastic first week of July. In this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown, we'll talk about Meta's new Twitter competitor called Threads, Google Analytics-related fines in Europe, YouTube testing hyperlinked keywords within comments, as well as a new Meta Ads update. Let's dive in.  Meta's Twitter Competitor 'Threads' is now live On Wednesday night, Meta launched their highly anticipated text-based social media app called Threads. The user base has exploded, gaining 30 million users in less than 24 hours. Threads is linked with Instagram but operates as a standalone app.  For now, the app is available worldwide on iOS and Android, with the big exception to that being the European Union. The app collects highly sensitive information that is not GDPR compliant and until that is resolved, the app will continue to be unavailable within any EU countries.  The collection of highly sensitive data is a negative thing for many, but for advertisers on Meta's platforms, this could positively affect campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. It's unknown how connected the data between platforms will be or how soon advertisers will be able to operate on Threads, but all signs indicate that time could be coming soon.  For more information on this, click on the articles below. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-launches-threads-provides-insights-coming-elements/685104/ https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/05/threads-no-eu-launch/ YouTube is Testing Hyperlinked Keywords in the Comments Section YouTube is testing search hyperlinks in comments to improve discovery and keep searches in-stream. This update allows people to click on specific hyperlinked words within comments, which would then prompt a new search on the platform. What words become hyperlinked are chosen by YouTube's algorithm, based on what they believe users will want to explore further. If viewers do not want their comments to be hyperlinked, they can choose to opt out of the experiment. YouTube has also made community posts viewable on tablets, added a new metric in YouTube Analytics, and updated its Channel Memberships functionality. Interested in reading more about this? Click below: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-tests-hyperlinked-keywords-video-comments-means-maximize/685107/ Sweden's Privacy WatchDog issues over 1 million in fines over Google Analytics Use Sweden's data privacy watchdog has issued multiple fines over European users' data being exported back to the US by Google Analytics. It's believed that measures set in place by Google were insufficient compared to the legal standard. The regulator said in a statement that "IMY [the Swedish DPA] considers that the data transferred to the U.S. via Google’s statistics tool is personal data because the data can be linked with other unique data that is transferred. The authority also concludes that the technical security measures that the companies have taken are not sufficient to ensure a level of protection that essentially corresponds to that guaranteed within the EU/EEA.” This ruling has the potential to impact advertisers all across Europe. Some countries, including Austria, have already banned the use of Google Analytics. For countries in those locations, our team here at Kavanah Media uses a service called Matomo. You can learn more about Matomo at https://matomo.org/ For more on this ruling, read the article below. https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/03/google-analytics-sweden-gdpr-fines/ Meta Requiring Advertisers to Verify Custom Website Events A new update to Meta Ads Manager is requiring advertisers to do a one-time verification of custom website events. Unverified events will eventually be discarded. To verify your website's custom events, head to Events Manager and complete the verification.  For more information on this, read the post linked below. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bramvanderhallen_facebookads-digitalmarketing-digitaladvertising-activity-7082728548628615168-vPoH/ 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: July 7th, 2023

Weekly Marketing Rundown - June 30, 2023   Hi everyone,   We hope you've had a great last week of June. In this week's edition of the Weekly Marketing Rundown, we'll talk about new Ai tools for Youtube, new Meta security updates, and more. Let's dive in.  Youtube Integrates Ai-Powered Dubbing Tool Youtube is partnering with Aloud, an AI-powered dubbing service, to dub videos into different languages automatically. Video dubbing used to be an expensive and time-consuming process, but now creators can do it for free with Aloud. YouTube is testing the tool with some creators right now. They're working on making the audio tracks sound more like the original creator's voice with better lip sync and emotion transfer. To read more about this new feature, click here: https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/23/youtube-integrates-ai-powered-dubbing-tool/ Engaged-View Attribution is Coming to Meta Meta has announced a new attribution setting called "Engaged View", in hopes that it will help advertisers better measure video ad performance.  To qualify as an engaged view conversion, the user must: - Watch 10 seconds of a skippable video ad OR 97% of the video if the video is less than 10 seconds long - Accomplish the set conversion action within 1 day of doing the above This attribution setting will be available using the sales, leads, or engagement objective types.  For more on this update, click the link below: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bramvanderhallen_facebookads-performance-video-activity-7079461885388972033-5YuY/ Meta is Giving Parents More Visibility into How Their Kids Use Social Media Meta is adding new safety features for teens using its social media apps, including parental controls on Messenger, alerts for taking breaks on Facebook, and nudges to stop scrolling on Instagram at night. They're also testing a feature on Instagram that limits interaction with non-followers. These updates come amidst increased scrutiny over the impact of social media on young users. Meta has already released an educational hub for parents on user safety tips. To read more, click the link below: https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/27/tech/facebook-messenger-parental-controls/index.html Meta Expands Reels Ad Options, Adds Simplified Music Tool for Reels Promotions Meta recently announced updates to Reels in ads, as advertisers are now able to run app promotion ads to reels on both Facebook and Instagram. Along with the update to Reels ads, Meta is testing music optimization in single image Reels ads, in hopes that it will increase engagement on this ad type  Short-form videos have taken off in recent years, and recent algorithm updates on Facebook and Instagram have suggested that Reels are a primary focus.  For more on this, read the article from Social Media Today below: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-reels-ad-options-simplified-music-tool-promotion/653410/ iOS 17 Security Updates On the June 16th edition of the weekly marketing rundown (https://kavanahmedia.com/resources/62455/digital-marketing-rundown-june-16-2023), we discussed the implications of the new iOS security update that removes tracking parameters such as click id and UTMs from links opened in Safari's private browsing mode. Alongside advanced tracking protection, this new update includes features such as using Face ID to lock private browsing in Safari, auto-deleting verification codes, new Photos privacy permissions, and automatic check-in texts in Messages. These features will help users protect their personal data and provide an extra layer of safety. To read more about iOS 17, click below: https://9to5mac.com/2023/06/20/ios-17-security-features/ 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 30, 2023

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 - June 16, 2023 Hi everyone, It's been an eventful week in the digital marketing world. Let's dive into some of the biggest stories from the last few days.  ICYMI: IOS 17 Update Allows Safari to Automatically Remove Tracking Parameters From Links Last week, it was announced that the new iOS 17 update would allow Safari to automatically remove tracking parameters, such as click ID and UTM parameters, directly from a site URL.  As it stands this only will happen when a user is on Safari's private browsing mode. Should this become more widespread, this update will have significant impact on a marketers ability to track ad performance using services such as Google Analytics, which often rely heavily on the use of click ID and UTM parameters.  This is not the first time Apple has made privacy updates with a profound impact on marketing Analytics. In 2021, Apple's IOS update 14.5.1 required apps to ask permission to track your activity. As it stands, the privacy measures enacted in IOS 17 are limited to those in Safari's private browsing mode, but expansion could initiate a major shift in the way the marketing industry tracks digital ad performance.  For more information, you can read the article from 9to5 Mac linked below. https://9to5mac.com/2023/06/08/ios-17-link-tracking-protection/ Beneficiary and payer requirements for ads targeting the European Union - Meta Ads Recently, Meta announced a new requirement for people targeting their ads to users in the European Union. This update will require advertisers to designate who the beneficiary for the ad campaign is, as well as who is funding it (payer). All new or updated ads will require this information or the ad will not publish.  All beneficiary and payer information will be recorded in the Ad Library, and if any changes are made to this information, Meta will archive all versions for one year. It is the responsibility of the advertiser to comply with applicable laws and regulations in the country where the ads are running. For those with verified business accounts, you will be able to select your verified business for both required sections in the ad set level of the ad creation process.   To read the full release from Meta, click the link below. https://www.facebook.com/business/help/605021638170961?wtsid=rdr_0xyqfKHJ6lH7jvwjx Proposed Bill Would See Social Platforms Held Legally Liable for Distribution of AI-Generated Content Earlier this week, Republican Senator Josh Hawley and Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal introduced a bill that could bypass protections from Section 230 and hold social media platforms liable for spreading harmful ai generated content.  There is still a degree of uncertainty regarding liability in relation to this bill, specifically in which cases an individual will be liable for what they created, along with which cases the social media platforms will be liable for what was distributed on their watch.  Historically, no proposed bills in opposition to Section 230 have held up in court. However, there has been a recent push for legislation surrounding artificial intelligence that leaves some optimistic that this bill will be enacted into law.  For more information on this matter, read the article from Social Media Today linked below. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/proposed-bill-social-platforms-legally-liable-distribution-ai/653030/ Texas Bans Minors From Using Social Media Without Parental Consent On Tuesday, June 13th, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill that bans minors in the state of Texas from using many social media platforms without parental consent.  The bill requires strict consent from parents for their children to use social media and also introduces new filtering requirements for the platforms to ensure minors aren't seeing harmful content such as substance abuse or eating disorders. Companies found in violation of this law can be sued by the Texas attorney general. A similar bill was passed recently in Louisiana and a number of states across America are considering doing the same.  For more information, read the article from The Verge linked below.  https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/14/23760975/texas-ban-social-media-kids-louisiana-utah 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 links below.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kavanahmedia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/78328025/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KavanahMedia   Author: Sean Ralls Article Published: June 16, 2023    

In this episode, Jon will be sharing several reasons why a sabbatical can help you, your team, and your ministry. To watch this episode, click here: https://youtu.be/yPdvLyXGvQE