Archive for the ‘seo news’ Category
Wednesday, January 10th, 2024
Are you ready to turn your low-spending but profitable lead gen search campaigns into sources of significant growth? You might be ready to scale your Google Ads account.
Every new Google Ads account starts from a humble position, but there comes a time when it makes sense to tune up campaigns and generate even more leads.
If you want to ramp things up, this guide will show you:
- What to expect when scaling a Google Ads lead gen account.
- What’s involved and what you have control over.
- How to actually ramp up PPC results.
How to know when you’re ready
When you are ready to scale, there are two ways to approach it:
- Getting more from a single ad platform.
- Expanding to new platforms.
This article will focus on the first, particularly on Google Ads for lead generation.
Scaling a nascent Google Ads account doesn’t simply mean increasing your budget and hoping for a proportional increase in leads. You may encounter new settings and moving pieces, ask clients for added support, and give back as much insight as you take.
Some signs that you might be ready to truly scale include:
- Overly profitable campaigns are a sign that you may not be investing enough.
- Low impression share or click share indicates untapped search volume.
- A high-converting primary offer with other offers you aren’t advertising.
The 9 levers you can pull to scale lead gen PPC
Throwing money at a challenge might work elsewhere, but scaling a Google Ads account takes a bit more care.
Simply dialing up your spend won’t be enough, so consider these nine tactics that can influence growth to varying degrees (both together and on their own).
1. Target new locations
Once you’ve maxed out impression share, one way to expand the scale of your Search program is by looking for additional geographies to target. If yours is a Local campaign, can you expand the location targeting?
When targeting one specific county or mile radius, I’ve sometimes gotten results by targeting different versions of the same area (e.g., county, ZIP codes, radius around a certain location).
They’re all really targeting the same place, but somehow it builds your audience because it captures a bit more people.
That’s my experience – your mileage may vary.
Side note: It may be a good idea to use “Presence” and not “Presence or interest” in the advanced location settings.
Dig deeper: Improve your Google Ads performance: 3 simple setting changes
2. Add new keywords
If you began your Search campaign by targeting a small group of keywords, there’s a good chance you can scale up simply by targeting new queries.
- Are there keywords related to the industry or problem you’re addressing that you have not targeted?
- Are there new things people are searching for?
- Do you have location-based keywords that you can go after, even if it’s just adding location terms to the end of an existing keyword?
These are all ways to open your ads up to people who need what you have but might not have been the recipients of your previous ads.
Outside of keywords, your match type can also open up new opportunities. If you haven’t yet added Broad Match to your campaigns, you can start testing it to open your ads up to a much wider range of traffic.
You can also test new keywords with a Dynamic Search Ads campaign.
3. Optimize your spend
Simply spending more is often a great way to take your early-stage Search campaigns to the next level. This is easier when you aren’t capturing a large percentage of available impressions because the budget increase will find more relevant people to show your ads to. So, you can likely double a $100 budget and get twice as many leads.
However, as you increase your budget, finding new conversions will become more difficult because fewer people are searching for relevant terms. So when you spend thousands and have a healthy impression share, you’ll get fewer conversions as you raise your spend.
Another area to monitor is whether placements are eating up your spend by bringing in junk leads or irrelevant clicks. Opting out of things like Search Partners and the Display network can open up opportunities to spend that money where it’s more likely to return a profit.
Similarly, trying a new campaign with a new goal (such as generating fresh demand) might be a way to find opportunities you didn’t know existed.
4. Build dedicated landing pages
We typically start our campaigns by driving traffic to the homepage of a website. It’s ready, so we see how it goes. If it doesn’t perform as well as we’d like, we build a dedicated landing page.
The objective of a dedicated landing page is to be:
- Relevant.
- Uncluttered.
- Quick to load.
- Clear in copy and call to action.
In general, people typically focus on lowering bounce rate. With lead gen landing pages, you almost want a high bounce rate because the inverse of that is increasing your conversion rate.
When you create a binary choice for anyone who lands on the page – convert or leave – you’ll get a higher conversion rate.
Do that by being as clear as possible:
- What action should the visitor take?
- Why should they take it?
- Why should they trust you?
- What will happen after they take it?
It can lead to a higher bounce rate, but that’s not necessarily bad. If you get your conversion rate from 5% to 10% and your cost per click goes up by 30%, you still have a cheaper cost per lead than you did before.
It’s a frequently overlooked component of Google Ads – or any digital marketing campaign in general.
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5. Test landing page variations
Landing page optimization is a significant lever that many Google Ads managers don’t touch, and it can often be because they don’t know where to begin.
Here are some of my landing page best practices:
- Experiment with removing the header/navigation of the website, with a logo going to the homepage but no other links on the page.
- The page should load quickly and be responsive to the device it’s accessed on. Too many landing pages aren’t mobile-friendly when they should be.
- For copy, We’ll pick clear over clever every day of the week. A clear headline should state in very plain language what you do and match both your ad copy and keywords.
- Your form should be prominent, easy to fill, not too complicated, and have only as many fields as necessary.
- For call-based conversions, a click-to-call button with a clear CTA is a must. Don’t forget to track this.
- Make sure you display credibility above the fold. Customer reviews, links to review sites, and media or industry accreditations let others vouch for you and build trust with visitors.
- Include content below the fold so that as people scroll, they can learn more about the business, what you do, your solution and its benefits. Intersperse that with CTAs between sections.
6. Test form variations
If your lead collection method is form-based, the structure and content of your forms become critical to how well they convert.
A basic form contains three to four fields, such as:
- Full name (or split into first and last names).
- Email.
- Phone number.
You may also want to include qualifiers. For B2B brands, here are examples of information we like to ask for:
- Company name: Anybody who doesn’t have a company will leave your page and disqualify themselves naturally.
- Location: For businesses with limited service areas, we include a geography drop-down or zip code field (for U.S. campaigns).
- Start date: If what you’re selling has a longer or limited timeline, you can ask people to specify when they want the job done.
You can also ask for information that helps qualify leads based on whether they meet certain criteria, such as their budget or industry. You can even write underneath the CTA button that you only take on customers who meet certain conditions.
The idea is to make sure that only right-fit prospects fill out your forms, reducing your junk leads and improving your qualification rate. This gives you a better idea of your addressable market instead of seeing inflated lead volume, making for better forecasts.
Another trick that often helps get the conversion is to place an icon of a lock and say that their data is 100% secure and won’t be shared. This handles another concern or objection up front and builds confidence.
7. Qualify your leads
We like to connect lead gen accounts with their CRM data whenever possible so we can focus on generating leads that drive business outcomes.
Let’s say you have a client that sells a specific item built to measure. Your form will ask for the usual contact information and qualifiers, but you can also let them input those dimensions or measurements.
What you want to look for is which leads come in with measurements and which leads don’t have them, and generally, the former will be of much higher quality. If someone takes the time to perform an action outside the form to fill it out, it indicates they really want what you’re selling.
Those leads can be marked appropriately and sent back to Google through offline conversion imports, allowing the system to pursue more users like them. Not only that, but your sales team will know which leads to go after first, making this a holistic improvement to your ability to close more deals faster.
8. Set up Enhanced Conversions
You should set up Enhanced Conversions if you can. Their primary use is to let Google track users even when ecosystems like Apple’s and other devices make that harder. As we move towards a cookie-less future, this allows Google to track what its pixels cannot.
This requires you to provide Google with personal data, such as emails and phone numbers, so their system can match it up with an account they know clicked on the ad. Doing this captures an additional 10% of user information, making it an extra signal that’s good to have.
But it will probably be considerably more important in the future, so get a headstart if you can!
9. Layer in Performance Max
After expanding each of the other strategies, and it seems that you’re tapped out and really can’t get anything else out of them, I would then consider layering in Performance Max if (and only if) you have some kind of offline conversion tracking. Otherwise, you’re going to get a ton of spam.
There are two ways of adding Performance Max to lead gen campaigns:
- Continue with Target CPA and send your qualified leads back to Google from your CRM data using offline conversion imports. That can sometimes be a stronger signal than a lead that becomes a sale. If you collect 100 leads from Google and 30 of them are later marked as qualified in your CRM, use that as a conversion action and set the campaign to specifically target those types of conversions.
- Bid to a Target ROAS if you’re able to send your revenue data back into Google Ads.
Without the ability to implement offline conversions, I recommend avoiding Performance Max for lead gen because you will spend time and money with little return to show for it.
Scaling lead gen on Google Ads
PPC fell into a years-long trap where the industry believed it could operate independently of other marketing and business functions. And for a long time, that was because Google made it possible to do so.
But all things are cyclical, and PPC is once again taking its rightful place in a broader marketing strategy.
As you grow your spend and results on Google Ads, remember that many other moving pieces influence the customer experience. Before and after the click, you have design, web development, discoverability, UX, and sales follow-up elements.
Scaling accounts doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly doesn’t happen effortlessly. But there is a tremendous reward for those who can see the big picture and show persistence.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Wednesday, January 10th, 2024
TikTok marketers can no longer search for specific hashtags within the platform’s Creative Center tools.
Why we care. These restrictions will make it harder for you to explore and gauge the popularity of trends on the platform, which is essential for effective campaign planning.
What’s changed? Links for hashtags related to the Israel-Hamas war and U.S. politics no longer work within Creative Center. TikTok has also removed the search button in Creative Center.
According to TikTok, the tool has shifted its focus towards providing data on the top 100 hashtags within diverse industries, such as pets and travel, instead.
Why now? TikTok has restricted its hashtag search feature due to concerns that the data was being used to uncover potential platform censorship. This decision comes after researchers and lawmakers scrutinized content related to geopolitics and the Israel-Hamas war using the tool’s results.
What is TikTok Creative Center? The Creative Center is a tool designed to assist advertisers in monitoring trend popularity on the site. Accessible to everyone, it provides data on the number of videos associated with a specific hashtag and details about the audience that viewed those videos.
What TikTok is saying. TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek tolf the New York Times (which is paywalled):
- “Unfortunately, some individuals and organizations have misused the Center’s search function to draw inaccurate conclusions, so we are changing some of the features to ensure it is used for its intended purpose.”
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Deep dive. Read our guide on how the TikTok algorithm works for more information on how to create successful campaigns.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024
Instacart is set to start serving ads on Caper Carts in Good Food Holdings banner stores.
Customers using the AI-powered smart carts will soon be greeted by ads on the trolley’s home screen, featuring launch partners such as Del Monte Foods, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, and General Mills
Why we care. Instacart’s latest advertising solution presents a strategic avenue to engage with high-value customers at a pivotal moment in the shopping journey, increasing the likelihood of sales and return on investment.
New features. Customers using Casper Carts will soon experience two new features:
- Ads for new products and brands: This means you’ll find special offers and seasonal promotions right when you start shopping on the Caper Cart home screen. For example, you might see a fun banner showing limited-edition Chocolate Strawberry Cheerios from General Mills for Valentine’s Day.
- Personalized product recommendations: These ads will show up based on what the customer is doing while shopping, like what’s in their cart or how they’re browsing (see image below). For instance, if a customer adds ice cream cones, they might get a suggestion for a matching item, such as Dreyer’s ice cream.
Store locations. During the initial phase of the pilot scheme, ads will exclusively appear on carts at Good Food Holdings’ Bristol Farms stores in Southern California. However, Instacart has assured the inclusion of additional retailers in the upcoming months. The ambitious plan aims to deploy thousands of Caper Carts by the end of 2024.
Incentive for participating retailers. Instacart aims to incentivize stores to display ads on Caper Carts by offering a revenue-sharing model and the chance for enhanced in-store customer engagement.
What Instacart is saying. Neil Stern, Chief Executive Officer of Good Food Holdings, said in a statement:
- “Since deploying Caper Carts last year, we’ve been incredibly excited to provide our customers with a greater personalized experience while driving value as they shop.”
- “With the introduction of ads on Caper Carts, we’ll soon be able to unlock a new, incremental revenue stream while offering customers valuable suggestions and promotions from our brand partners.”
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Deep dive. Read Instacart’s announcement in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024
Google is giving websites the opportunity to request additional time to transition away from third-party cookie dependencies.
To address possible compatibility concerns, the search engine has introduced a third-party cookie deprecation trial. While Chrome plans to eliminate third-party cookies by Q3 2024, this program lets embedded sites and services temporarily enable them until December 27, 2024.
However, developers are expected to make the necessary changes by the trial end date.
Why we care. For marketers heavily dependent on targeted advertising through third-party cookies, delaying Chrome’s phase-out until the end of the year could come as a huge relief. But it’s still crucial to update your marketing strategy to be cookieless before the December deadline, as there won’t be any additional help afterward.
How it works. Eligible websites can enable third party cookie deprecation trials by using JavaScript to provide unique access tokens in Chrome. To request a third-party token during registration, activate the “Third-party matching” option on the origin trial’s registration page. The third-party token should be provided through JavaScript by creating an origin trial <meta> tag, not in HTML code or an HTTP header.
Trial participants are advised to deploy deprecation trial tokens before the grace period ends on April 1, 2024.
Eligibility. The program is specifically designed for embeds and services that use third-party cookies and meet Google’s strict eligibility criteria”
- Advertising-related services won’t get approval.
- If your domain is known for advertising, even subdomains, it’s likely to be rejected.
- To be considered, you need to show direct impact on end-users; problems just affecting later data analysis won’t qualify. Submit bug reports to Google with detailed steps to reproduce the issue.
- Google will only consider requests with confirmed breakage, and there’s an appeals process for clarification.
- Even if your site has both ad and non-ad content, if it’s associated with advertising domains, it’s likely to be denied.
Review process. After you submit your application for the third-party cookie deprecation trial, Google will review your request. Response times will vary, however, if you have not received a response with one to two weeks, Google advises contacting them at 3pcd-deprecationtrial@google.com.
What Google is saying. A Google spokesperson said in a statement:
- “At the moment we are only focusing on third-party embeds and services.”
- “We recommend first-party sites continue making changes to their sites directly to fix the breakage and encourage their embedded third parties to sign up for this deprecation trial.”
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Deep dive. Read Google’s guidance in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the digital landscape – leaving no room for outdated SEO tactics. As search engines increasingly leverage AI to anticipate user intent, we must completely rethink our strategies and balance human creativity and AI efficiency to stay ahead.
Let’s explore the innovations, opportunities and pitfalls to master as AI propels search into a new era.
Search evolution: Prioritizing intent over keywords
The era of keyword stuffing is over, replaced by a focus on user intent.
Search engines have evolved to understand the context behind queries. This shift demands a change in SEO strategies – prioritizing creativity and relevance over mere keyword density.
Today’s SEO is about aligning with user goals and pain points, not just keyword counts. Including elements like location-based services and personalized recommendations turns searches into dynamic interactions between users and your content.
Embracing semantic search
Incorporating semantic search requires a mix of data analytics and empathetic writing. This approach focuses on delivering relevant and valuable insights, aligning with E-E-A-T guidelines for expertise and trustworthiness.
In this new landscape, keyword research remains valuable but as part of a wider strategy. It’s about creating meaningful interactions and standing out in a digital world filled with information overload.
Consider Google’s BERT algorithm. It uses natural language processing to understand the real intent behind a search. This is a leap from simple keyword matching to predictive, context-aware results.
This essentially means AI doesn’t just improve search – it anticipates our needs, often before we articulate them.
AI does more than just understand user intent. It also brings personalization to search engines.
By analyzing past user data like location and search history, AI can predict the future preferences of search engine users.
AI’s transformative role in SEO
AI is a pivotal force in digital marketing, making it important for content creators to understand the technology.
It involves machine learning algorithms that analyze data to predict relevant content for search queries.
With search engines like Google and Bing employing AI to enhance result accuracy, marketers must understand AI’s impact to remain competitive.
Leveraging AI for advanced content strategies
AI tools offer more than just enhancements to current strategies.
They enable optimization through trend identification and advanced analytics. These tools provide insights into strategy performance, like click-through rates and page engagement.
AI also suggests improvements based on user behavior, revolutionizing content optimization by revealing new opportunities and offering data-driven recommendations for continuous enhancement.
The balance between man and machine: The future trend?
Despite AI’s advancements, the need for human narrative crafting remains.
This balance is where concepts like AIO and my C.R.A.F.T framework become crucial, merging machine learning with human intuition to produce compelling, search engine-friendly content.
Artificial intelligence optimization (AIO) in content creation
AI’s role in content creation marks a new era. Enter AIO writers.
It starts with AI drafting content, embedding keywords, and aligning with search engine results pages. But AI alone is not enough. A human writer trained in AIO takes over next. They take AI drafts and make them better.
These optimized pieces attract readers and meet the criteria of modern search algorithms. They keep the language and brand voice unique.
The interesting thing about this model isn’t just about quantity. I am talking about accuracy and trustworthiness, which are essential for any high E-E-A-T content strategy.
Marketers who embrace AIO in their strategy are leading the way – not keeping up.
Synergy of AI and human expertise in SEO
AI boosts efficiency, but the nuanced touch of human writing brings depth and appeal to the content. This collaborative process involves using AI for initial drafts and human skills for final refinements.
Today, creating SEO-friendly content requires a careful approach. AI lays a solid groundwork, but human skill is what makes content stand out.
What C.R.A.F.T. is all about
I developed the C.R.A.F.T. framework to steer content creators in a rapidly changing digital environment, especially when working with AI-generated content.
AI writing isn’t ready to publish as is. It lacks your personal experiences, client insights, and unique tone.
That’s where C.R.A.F.T. comes in. It empowers writers to infuse AI content with these essential human elements and ensures your content reflects you and your audience.
Here’s what it looks like.
Cut the fluff
C.R.A.F.T. centers on concise, impactful writing. Eliminating excess words is essential in today’s information-saturated world.
This approach aligns with Google Search Essentials (formerly Webmaster Guidelines), which prioritizes valuable content for users.
Review, edit, optimize
Transform good writing into great communication. Refine syntax and strategically integrate keywords, balancing SEO with reader appeal.
Add images, visuals, media
You need visuals. They enrich your text and help explain complex ideas. Alt tags and clear visuals also contribute to SEO by enhancing user experience and search indexing.
Fact-check your content
Fact-checking establishes authority and combats misinformation. Truth is our responsibility as creators, reflecting Google’s E-E-A-T principles.
Trust-build
This involves adding personal stories and authoritative links to build trust with your readers.
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Generative AI’s role in search results
Generative AI is redefining content ranking based on quality. This advancement challenges traditional SEO tactics, as algorithms can now create and assess content unprecedentedly.
Elevating quality standards across the board
In this competitive arena, high-quality standards become paramount.
Google’s evolving algorithm updates now prioritize relevant, original and useful content – mirroring the objectives of generative AI.
This shift calls for stringent fact-checking and authenticity in content creation.
Enhancing user experience through AI
Generative AI impacts more than just search rankings. It influences creative storytelling, tone differentiation, and user engagement metrics.
The narrative around facts enhances user experience, as authoritative links within content add credibility.
However, despite AI’s advanced capabilities, the essential human element in content creation cannot be overlooked.
The blend of technology and the innate human touch in crafting compelling narratives is irreplaceable.
Adapting to AI-driven search engine marketing
The future of search engine marketing is rapidly evolving with AI advancements. Marketers must stay informed and prepare for this change. Here are key strategies:
- Stay updated on AI trends: Keep abreast of the latest AI developments. Subscribe to trade publications and engage in professional discussions about AI trends and technologies.
- Understand AI challenges: Recognize AI’s opportunities and pitfalls. Generative AI, while promising, raises concerns like misinformation. Up to 80% of marketers will need teams dedicated to countering AI-generated misinformation by 2027, Gartner predicts.
- Consider copyright concerns: Copyright issues are paramount with generative AI. After the 2023 ruling by the U.S. Copyright Office, navigating copyright becomes more complex, especially with AI-generated content. The ruling reminds us to make sure we humanly edit AI-generated output to maintain the human stamp and ownership of our content.
- Be aware of regulatory changes: Monitor the evolving regulatory landscape for AI technologies. Anticipate and prepare for inevitable regulatory actions affecting AI use.
Marketers need to stay informed, understand challenges, navigate copyright issues, and maintain regulatory awareness to thrive in the AI-driven future of search engine marketing.
Integrating human expertise with AI in search technology
Merging human expertise with AI is becoming crucial in optimizing for search.
This combination is not just helpful – it’s essential to master modern search algorithms.
AI brings immense processing power but lacks human-like, nuanced understanding. Marketers need to use their insights to refine AI results. This leads to a more focused approach that matches user intent, boosting efficiency.
This fusion also helps predict consumer behavior shifts that data alone might miss. Combining metrics with human empathy ensures digital strategies connect personally with users.
Creativity and predictive analytics: A powerful duo
Creativity is a core human factor and the key to standing out in a crowded market.
When blended with AI’s predictive analytics, creativity becomes both original and data-driven, maximizing impact.
We see this partnership in action when analyzing metrics like click-through rates. Human creativity is the factor to lean into to build interest and curiosity, while AI can optimize reach based on these insights.
Making better decisions with AI and human insight
AI is great at quickly spotting patterns helping in SEO decision-making.
But without human strategic oversight, AI alone might miss opportunities that need human cultural understanding or trend identification.
Professionals must use AI tools to enhance, not replace, their decision-making. This approach allows for quick yet well-thought-out strategic choices.
Shaping the future of search with AI
AI is reshaping search. It’s changing how we create content, adapt to algorithms, and stay ahead in marketing. The future of search isn’t just about keywords – it’s about understanding and utilizing AI.
Remember the milestones that got us here. Keep my C.R.A.F.T framework handy as you refine your SEO approach: Cut through the noise, enhance with custom visuals, and build trust with authentic stories.
Understand how to function in the role of AIO – AIOs are not just helpers; they’re co-creators. Generative AI is not a threat but an ally for those who learn to collaborate effectively.
The takeaway? How AI will affect the future of search hinges on our ability to blend human ingenuity with machine efficiency. Master this, and the way forward is bright.
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Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024
TikTok has launched two new ad performance measurement tools:
- Cross-Channel Partners – which analyzes how ads perform across different online platforms and touchpoints before a purchase is made to understand their overall impact.
- Lift Partners – this assesses the effectiveness of ads on brand metrics, sales, physical store visits, and viewership for shows or media.
Given that conventional last-click attribution models fail to capture four out of five purchases attributed to TikTok, these new features are designed to offer marketers improved insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns on the social platform.
Why we care. A clearer understanding of the customer journey reveals the returns from your advertising investments, empowering you to make informed decisions about your ad spend moving forward.
Cross-Channel Partners. This feature analyzes the impact of TikTok ads across various marketing touchpoints before a purchase is made. It focuses on two key areas:
- Multi-touch attribution: This involves measuring the effectiveness of TikTok advertising across digital touchpoints. It provides marketers with a deeper understanding of the customer’s path to purchase, helping them identify the most effective channels to achieve their goals.
- Post-purchase survey (PPS): This survey-based tool integrated with e-commerce stores, helping advertisers understand how customers discover their product/brand and gathers attitudinal metrics (how customers feel about your product). By using the voice of the customer as a source of truth, PPS helps advertisers to gain a more complete view of attribution, contributing to a deeper understanding of advertising impact.
Lift Partners. Lift partners gauge the impact of TikTok advertising, focusing on four main areas:
- Brand lift: This uses an engaging, in-feed polling experience to measure the impact of ads on brand lift metrics like Ad Recall, Awareness, Attitude, and Favorability.
- Sales lift: Determines how effective advertising is in driving both online and offline sales, especially beneficial for Consumer Packaged Goods marketers.
- Store visit lift: Measures the additional visits to physical stores generated by TikTok ad campaigns.
- Tune-in lift: Assesses the impact of advertising on increasing viewership for shows, movies, or other media content.
Brand lift, a focus area under the Measurement category, is not a new addition to the program in this launch; it has been a part of the program previously.
Eligibility. To work with a measurement partner for Cross-Channel and Lift solutions, or to be considered for the TikTok Marketing Partners Program, visit the TikTok Marketing Partners website.
What TikTok is saying. Melissa Yang, Global Head of Marketing Partnerships and Industry Education, TikTok, said in a statement:
- “Partnering with our Cross-Channel and Lift measurement experts provides better visibility into consumer behavior beyond last click.”
- “Working with our partners reveals the true impact of TikTok marketing campaigns, while also providing strategic insight that can be leveraged to drive meaningful growth for businesses.”
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Deep dive. Read TikTok’s announcement in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Thursday, January 4th, 2024
Google has officially started to phase out third-party cookies.
A new feature called Tracking Protection, which restricts third-party cookies by default, began rolling out to 1% of Chrome users globally on January 4, 2024.
If you have been affected, you will will receive a notification when you open Chrome on either desktop or Android devices.
Why we care. If your marketing heavily depends on targeted advertising with third-party cookies, it’s time to reconsider your tactics. Begin preparing your websites now before Google completely retires third-party cookies in the latter half of 2024.
Impact: The affect of the Tracking Protection tool rollout is yet to be determined, however, discussions among digital marketers on X indicate that advertisers are still not ready for the removal of third-party cookies:
Problems to watch out for. If your site relies on third-party cookies and the roll out of Tracking Protection causes issues (for example, you refresh a page multiple times), Chrome will prompt you to temporarily re-enable them by clicking the eye icon on the address bar’s right side.
What are third-party cookies? A third-party cookie is a small piece of data placed on a user’s device (computer, cellphone, or tablet) by a website different from the one the user is currently visiting. It tracks the user’s browsing history, enabling personalized ads based on their activities.
Why now? Google considers phasing out third-party cookies by the second half of 2024 as a crucial move in its Privacy Sandbox initiative. The final decision depends on resolving competition concerns from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority.
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Deep dive. Read ‘SEO and the future world without cookies‘ by Search Engine Land contributor Adam Audette for more information on what a cookieless world will look like for SEO and PPC marketers.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Thursday, January 4th, 2024
Group M is planning to simplify the buying and placement of ads on streaming services for advertisers.
Through the GroupM Ad Innovation Accelerator program, GroupM is joining forces with BrightLine, Disney, KERV, NBCUniversal, Roku, Telly, and YouTube to develop a new ad format for streaming services. This format aims to cater to viewers who prefer to avoid commercials.
The collaborative effort aims to transform the conventional 30-second ad spot by incorporating advanced digital technologies. This innovation aims to strengthen connections between brands and viewers, delivering measurable outcomes for advertisers partnering with GroupM.
Why we care. This program addresses changing viewer preferences and offers a potential solution for more effective streaming service advertising. It also presents a promising opportunity for advertisers to connect with younger audiences, who are increasingly shifting from traditional TV to streaming services.
What is GroupM? GroupM, the media-buying division of European advertising conglomerate WPP, is one of the largest investors of advertising dollars in the U.S.
What Group M is saying. Mike Fisher, Executive Director, Investment Innovation, GroupM U.S., said in a statement:
- “Brands advertising in ad-supported streaming environments have an incredible opportunity to engage with attentive consumers, but the rapidly evolving media landscape makes it difficult for advertisers to efficiently and resourcefully launch interactive advertising campaigns.”
- “Our clients need a simple way to activate interoperable and attributable campaigns across the ad-supported streaming ecosystem. With key stakeholders at the same table, we will shape impactful outcomes that allow advertisers to execute creative, engaging and effective campaigns.”
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Deep dive. Read Group M’s announcement in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Thursday, January 4th, 2024
The Google Ads gambling and games policy United States country-specifics has been updated.
From January 4, the platform will accept and run ads for sports betting from state-approved entities in Delaware.
Why we care. Eligible advertisers who want to run sports betting ads in Delaware will need to apply for accreditation.
Certification. To obtain certification, follow these steps if you meet Google’s policy and country-specific requirements:
- Privately-licensed operators: If you are based in one of the countries where Google permits online gambling content, fill out the online gambling application form in the Google Ads Help Center. Providing all the requested information will help prevent delays.
- State-run entities: If you operate in one of the countries where Google allows only state-run entities, use this form. When completing the form:
- In ‘Summary of the issue’: Note that you’re requesting certification to advertise as a state-run gambling entity, and provide your website URL.
- In ‘Campaign name and Ad group name’: Enter N/A if you haven’t set up a campaign or ad group.
- Social casino game operators: Use this form to submit your website URL or app, Google Ads customer ID, and the country group you are targeting.
You must submit a separate application form for each country you want to target.
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Deep dive. Read Google’s announcement in full for more information.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
Thursday, January 4th, 2024
Advertising on Meta presents unique opportunities that Google Ads doesn’t offer.
Whether your goal is lead generation or ecommerce, Menachem Ani, PPC expert and founder of JXT Group, shared valuable insights at SMX Next on how to optimize campaigns for Facebook and Instagram.
Read on to learn Ani’s seven-step frameworks for building winning lead generation and ecommerce strategies in Meta’s automated landscape.
Meta Ads > Google Ads?
When advertising on platforms like Google, you’re restricted to reaching people searching for your product or service.
However, when placing ads on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the possibilities are more diverse, according to Ani. He explained:
- “There are similarities between Google and Meta ads in the sense that they are both pushing towards automation with fewer levels and less controls. But that’s where the similarities end.”
- “With Google Ads, you’re capturing existing demand, somebody searching for the product or service – but it’s finite. There’s only a certain amount of search happening for a specific keyword. Whereas with paid social, you can, you can educate consumers a little higher up in the funnel, create demand and then capture it later on.”
Should you spend more on Google or Meta?
A multi-channel approach is usually best but the answer depends on the nature of your business, according to Ani. He said:
- “If your brand sells products, then Meta will likely work for you. If you’re selling more commoditized products like electronic appliances, then it’s best to lead with Google.”
- “However, we’ve found that it’s usually best to run campaigns across all channels because it gives you multiple sources of revenue – and diversification is always a good thing.”
Lead generation on Facebook and Instagram
Although Meta ads are probably best known for driving results in ecommerce, Facebook and Instagram ads can also be used to effectively generate leads. The key is to focus on quality over quantity (i.e., leads that will actually convert into sales). Ani explained:
- “The last thing you want is to generate leads that you can’t sell to. Ultimately a lead is only worth something if it if it can turn into revenue.”
- “To do this, you need a well thought out strategy to ensure that your message reaches the right consumer.”
The challenge with Meta lead generation
Although lead generation campaigns on Facebook and Instagram can drive great results, you’re also likely to receive a lot of spam leads, according to Ani.
The system tends to optimize for form submissions rather than real-time revenue like in ecommerce, which can result in more leads of lower quality. The challenge is finding a balance to get better quality leads, even if it means fewer form submissions:
- “Remember that leads are not sales – you can’t deposit leads in your bank account. It’s super important to figure out how to get good quality leads.”
7-step lead generation framework
Ani shared a seven-step strategy to address issues like spam and enhance lead generation results through Facebook and Instagram ads.
1. Leads > traffic
The campaign goal you choose is crucial. The Meta algorithm is powerful but specific.
If you run a traffic-focused campaign, you’ll get traffic – but that doesn’t necessarily translate into leads. To sell and get inbound inquiries, you need leads, Ani explained:
- “For this, I recommend always using a conversion-focused campaign specifically focused to driving leads based off of your pixel tracking.”
2. Test dynamic and standard creative
When setting up your campaign on Facebook, you can choose to create individual ads or use dynamic creative, which is like responsive search ads on Google – and it’s important to explore both options.
Although testing various targeting and ad creatives is usually advised, dynamic creative works well for smaller lead generation campaigns. Ani explained:
- “With dynamic creative, you provide a list of ad copy and creative elements (like images and videos), and the system personalizes the ad for each user.”
- “This is particularly useful for small budgets on lead generation campaigns where you may lack sufficient data to optimize specific ads as it allows the system to algorithmically target users.”
3. Use customer lookalikes and interests
Ani explained that while the pixel is powerful for targeting based on website activity, when it comes to lead generation, especially on newer or smaller accounts, custom audiences can be effective.
Instead of broad targeting, he recommends creating lookalike audiences from your customer list or qualified leads.
- “Telling the system that people who are interested in x or belong to specific demographics are likely the potential consumer for you can be helpful.”
- “It’s also a good idea to allow the system to use Advantage+ targeting (which is where it expands outside of your audiences) as an additional 20% or so to find users who may not be in the specific audiences you set up.”
- “Unlike ecommerce, where the system can see the revenue coming in in real-time, sometimes you need a bit more of a signal and this helps with lead quality because your ads are being shown to more interested users.”
4. Use Facebook and Instagram
Advertisers often try to manually control where their ads appear, but the algorithm is powerful. It’s best to let the system show ads wherever on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, according to Ani.
The algorithm efficiently regulates ad placements based on where conversions are happening. So Ani recommends allowing the algorithm to do the heavy lifting.
Limiting exposure with manual adjustments can increase costs and you may miss out on untapped potential, Ani said:
- “What we’ve learned is that this holds true across most ad platforms today. … When you limit your exposure with manual adjustments, you end up increasing your costs and you lose out on untapped potential.”
5. Think beyond video creatives
Once you’ve identified your audience, the next step is crafting your message.
While ecommerce often emphasizes video creative, for lead generation, image ads surprisingly work well, according to Ani. Video ads are effective too, but creating good videos, especially for lead gen, can be challenging.
Plain images or overlaying text onto an image, like banner ads, are effective. Because your audiences are broad, the messaging in your image ad or the accompanying copy serves as a form of targeting.
6. Create dedicated landing pages
When a user clicks your ad, the destination matters, especially in lead generation. So consider options like sending them to your homepage, a dedicated landing page, or using embedded Facebook or Instagram forms. Ani recommended creating embedded forms:
- “You’re likely going to get less leads if you use an embedded form, but the leads you do get will be better quality because the ones that were going to be spam are less likely to fill out that form due to the extra effort needed.”
- “Remember, embedded forms on Facebook and Instagram are pre-populated with the user’s Instagram or Facebook account information. So it’ll have their name, email and so on. And that makes the form a lot easier to fill out.”
- “I would also recommend adding an additional question to sort of forcefully add friction to the process so that fewer people accidentally fill out the form and you’ll end up with slightly better quality leads – remembering that leads are not sales.”
7. Conversions are not sales
Tracking the source of each lead is crucial. You can add UTM parameters to your ads to see, in real time, which campaign, ad set, and ad creative a specific lead came from.
Over time, by analyzing this data in your CRM, you can establish patterns.
For example, a breakdown of 30 leads from a specific campaign, including their current status, can reveal insights. Isolating and analyzing such data helps identify what’s working well, whether it’s a specific creative resonating with consumers or certain audiences performing better.
This information is valuable for optimizing your future lead generation efforts, Ani explained.
Ecommerce ads for Facebook and Instagram
Ecommerce differs in that the system automatically tracks revenue in real time, according to Ani. This simplifies the process, as a lead often translates directly to a sale.
However, industries with high fraud rates may pose challenges. Tracking revenue in real time lets you assign a dollar value to each order, making it easier to align with profit-centric optimization.
Many direct-to-consumer (DTC) operators use Meta ads and email in their marketing mix. Yet, ecommerce doesn’t have to be purely transactional, Ani said:
- “You can lean into other campaigns on the Google side, like Performance Max, Demand Gen, YouTube, and so on, to capture additional demand that way too.”
7-point ecommerce framework
Here is Ani’s seven-step guide to drive ecommerce results using Facebook and Instagram ads.
1. Test Advantage+ carefully
Unlike lead generation campaigns, where the primary option is conversion-focused, ecommerce allows for a different campaign type called Advantage Plus Shopping. This automated and algorithmic approach, with fewer controls, is akin to Google’s Performance Max.
Advantage Plus Shopping is broad and less structured than a standard conversion purchase-optimized campaign.
- “What we’ve found is that you want to try using both [Advantage Plus Shopping and conversion campaign types] and see how it goes.”
- “For some of our clients, Advantage Plus typically performs better, but for others, we have found that standard purchase conversions work better – but for others, we find a mixture of running them both side-by-side for different products or promotions is best.”
2. Go broad on targeting
For broad targeting in ecommerce campaigns, it’s often effective to let the system go “crazy”, according to Ani. Allow it to target whoever it deems most likely to purchase, excluding recent purchasers, such as those in the last 30 days.
Additional audience limitations can artificially increase CPMs, so it’s generally better to go broad and let the powerful Meta algorithm determine the most promising targets based on real-time revenue data. Trusting the algorithm’s capabilities and leaning into its power tends to yield positive results.
3. Purchase > Add to cart > Clicks
In ecommerce, when running conversion campaigns, it’s crucial to be specific in your objectives.
While the powerful system will deliver what you ask for, specifying actions like “add to carts” or “clicks” might not lead to actual sales. Ani explained:
- “If you tell it you want clicks, you’re going to get clicks, but they typically don’t convert into sales.”
- “So if you’re going to run a purchase conversions campaign, make sure you’re focusing on purchases very specifically because you want purchases – you need revenue. Make sure to focus on that.”
4. Trust in seven-day click
In ecommerce, attribution is different from lead generation. While one day is often sufficient for leads, ecommerce purchases may require more time.
Leaning into a seven-day click attribution is generally recommended. This longer period accommodates the full purchase journey, acknowledging that a user who clicks on an ad may not be ready to buy on the same day.
Avoid one-day view attributions, which can inflate attribution figures due to the widespread exposure of ads on Facebook and Instagram. Ani added:
- “Typically, we recommend using seven-day click attribution unless you’re selling an impulse purchase. In those cases, a one-day click should be enough.”
5. Get creative with creatives
When it comes to creative in online marketing, testing is key, according to Ani. You can experiment with various formats like image ads, video ads, and carousel ads.
Within each type, there are diverse approaches.
- For image ads, you can try product shots, lifestyle images, comparison visuals, or showcase media mentions and customer reviews.
- Videos offer versatility, ranging from high-production to user-generated content, testimonials and different lengths.
- Carousels allow for dynamic catalog ads, providing a range of options.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so it’s essential to test different creative elements to discover what resonates best with your brand. What works for one brand may not necessarily work for another.
6. Match creative cycling to spend
When it comes to testing new creative assets, the focus should be on the traffic flow through a specific ad rather than a specific time or budget. Ideally, you want a significant amount of traffic in the hundreds or even a couple of thousand clicks, to establish statistical significance.
This ensures that the data collected is reliable and can be trusted for making informed decisions. With only a few clicks or orders, it’s challenging to gauge whether the creative will work at a larger scale. Emphasizing the amount of traffic passing through an ad allows for a more robust evaluation of its effectiveness.
7. Keep naming consistent
Maintaining consistent ad naming conventions is crucial for effectively tracking the performance of your creative assets.
By properly naming your ads (including details like asset type, destination, call-to-action, and more), you can easily filter and report on their effectiveness. This approach allows you to compare the performance of different ad types, such as image ads versus video ads or influencer campaigns versus others.
Consistent ad naming ensures that you can quickly and accurately analyze your data to make informed decisions about your advertising strategy.
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Key takeaways
Whether running a lead generation or ecommerce campaign on Facebook and Instagram, there are key strategies to consider. For lead gen, focus on:
- Limiting spam.
- Precise targeting.
- Emphasizing the offer.
- Messaging.
Meanwhile, in ecommerce, allow the system to handle more targeting, placing greater emphasis on creative component testing.
Both Facebook and Instagram are valuable additions to your marketing efforts. However, it’s essential to integrate them holistically into your overall strategy.
As ad platforms become more sophisticated and algorithmic, understanding when to let the system handle tasks and when to intervene is crucial.
Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing
