Whether you’re looking to optimise your SEO efforts, capitalise on emerging ad formats or stay ahead of B2B digital marketing trends, The Digital will equip you with the insights you need to know in today’s competitive digital marketplace. Let’s get stuck in.
SEO rankings uncovered
First The Digital’s attention turns to Google, where a leak of internal documents on GitHub has opened up a vault of secrets about the search titan’s algorithms. This has uncovered game-changing insights for digital marketing activity and SEO.
The publication, spanning more than 2.5k pages, uncovers intricate details about search ranking factors, revealing the critical importance of features that Google have previously disregarded as important for rankings.
Whilst the leak did not include more information on how important each of these elements are, there are features that seem to hold more weight in SEO that users were originally told to ignore. This includes domain authority, user engagement metrics (such as successful clicks) and link diversity.
For businesses, this means that brand recognition is paramount. Marketers should focus on high-quality, engaging content that bolsters brand awareness, all while maintaining diverse, yet relevant, links. As the industry holds its breath for Google’s response, this leak has disrupted the SEO landscape with users remaining sceptical of Google.
Mixed reactions to Google Marketing Live 2024
This year’s Google Marketing Live (GML), an event showcasing the latest ad innovations, was somewhat disappointing from a B2B standpoint, drawing backlash from many in the industry.
Nevertheless, Google continued to champion AI, unveiling innovations like creative asset generation controls, immersive ad experiences and visual storytelling features. These tools promise to help advertisers align their assets with brand guidelines and power image editing further. The move emphasises Google’s push for AI in creative processes; something that’s been met with mixed feelings. The true effectiveness of these ads remains to be seen and should be A/B tested to assess their quality and resource-saving potential.
We previously mentioned the launch of Google Ads Data Manager, which simplifies integrating and activating first-party data amidst privacy chaos. The good news is that this feature is here to stay, allowing advertisers to feel relieved knowing that advanced analytics will be more accessible to their businesses.
Google has no choice but to put privacy first
Google has announced that new privacy laws across North American states, including Florida, Texas, Oregon, Montana, and Colorado, will take effect in 2024. In addition to this, the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) is enforcing the Universal Opt-Out Mechanism (UOOM), giving the user more opt-out control. As it stands, Google assures that no action is needed if you’ve already agreed to their online data protection terms and, to aid with compliance, Google will roll out enhanced tools.
However, this shift towards a less personalised ad inventory will impact Google’s well-used audience features like Customer Match, Audiences API and Floodlight Remarketing lists due to increased user opt-outs.
Whilst this impact is yet to be seen, make sure you are compliant and up to speed on the relevant controls in Google’s Help Center. Privacy-first digital marketing is ever-changing, but remaining up to date and prepared are key when navigating this landscape.
LinkedIn trialling TikTok-style video formats
LinkedIn is currently trialling a novel short-form video feed reminiscent of TikTok, with the primary aim of enriching engagement and facilitating the discovery of career-centric content.
This innovative feature, presently undergoing early testing, gives users a vertical cascade of succinct videos, conveniently accessible through a newly introduced “Video” tab within the app’s navigation bar. End-users are empowered to engage with these videos through actions such as liking, commenting, and sharing.
Notably distinct from other platforms’ offerings, LinkedIn’s video feed is strategically tailored to cater exclusively to professional development and career guidance. With the burgeoning popularity of video content as a preferred medium for knowledge acquisition, this feature holds promise in enticing more thought leaders and creators to impart their expertise on the LinkedIn platform.
Whilst there exists a possibility that certain users may perceive the influx of yet another short-form video feed as overwhelming, this format could potentially pave the way for new ad opportunities.
Reddit releases more ad creatives
Reddit has unveiled a suite of ad updates aimed at enhancing campaign performance and efficiency – again beating the drum for automation. Among these updates includes the introduction of AI-generated headline suggestions through Reddit’s Smart Headlines tool, leveraging generative AI to tailor ad copy options that resonate with Reddit’s distinct audience.
Reddit has claimed that this feature is set to streamline the process of crafting engaging ad variations, providing advertisers with heightened flexibility. Alongside this, Reddit’s Creative Asset Cropper is said to allow for image customisation to meet the platform’s format specifications, simplifying the content creation process.
With similar announcements coming from the likes of Google, this will not be the first introduction of AI ad creation in the digital sphere. But, as always, a testing approach is recommended before deciding whether or not to commit to AI for ad creation moving forwards.
These launches, complemented by enhancements in bid management options, such as the lowest cost automated bidding strategy and improved daily budget allocation, Reddit appears to be committed to empowering brands to maximise campaign results and optimise ad spend effectively. These advancements underscore the platform’s dedication to delivering advertising solutions, facilitating opportunities to target untapped audiences in the platform’s dynamic, and ever growing, environment.
As always, the digital realm is a whirlwind of transformation, ignited by revolutionary shifts across platforms. Keeping ahead of these advancements, embracing change when needed and questioning new features are paramount to not only staying current but also to steer you towards your objectives. Embarking on this journey with Modern as your guide could be the catalyst for unlocking unparalleled success; we’re dedicated to keeping you informed, challenging conventions and offering expert guidance.
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