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The GA4 migration deadline is right around the corner

Written on February 24, 2023 at 11:34 pm, by admin

Google is sunsetting Universal Analytics (UA) on July 1st. Starting in March, Google will automatically create Google Analytics 4 (GA4) properties for any customer who does not set up a GA4 property with basic settings.

If you do not opt-out of auto migration by February 28, 2023, Google will transition your UA account to GA4 without any custom strategy. To ensure accurate tracking and analysis, you should make the switch to GA4 now and customize the setup as needed.

GA4 is much more than just a new “version” of Google Analytics. It’s a completely new platform – built from the ground up to collect, process, and report on data differently than before. Migrating to GA4 is a complex and integral process that requires strategic planning and expert implementation.

Need help? This 5-minute GA4 preparation guide from MoreVisibility will provide the insight and assistance you need to get started. Visit Digital Marketing Depot to download the GA4 Preparation Guide.

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3 ways to strengthen customer relationships and drive revenue by Cynthia Ramsaran

Written on February 23, 2023 at 7:29 pm, by admin

Research has shown time and time again that existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products of yours and spend 31% more with you when compared to new customers. So how are you fostering these relationships and delivering repeatable and measurable revenue?

In this session, marketing experts will share how you can build customer relationships that not only scale but drive revenue for 2023 and beyond.

Register today for “3 Ways to Strengthen Customer Relationships and Drive Revenue,” presented by Sendoso.

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Leveraging TikTok’s ad content to get valuable insights on top-performing products

Written on February 23, 2023 at 7:29 pm, by admin

TikTok has just released a “Top Products” element to its Creative Center.

This data provides insights into the popularity of particular products on the app, as indicated by the frequency of ads featuring the item, as well as metrics such as impressions, view-through rate, comments, and likes. Essentially, all the relevant data points are available to analyze the performance of each product.

How it works. Utilizing the filtering options provided allows narrowing down the Top Products listing according to specific regions and product categories. You can also view the data for the last day, 7 days, or 30 days.

To gain a deeper understanding of a particular product, click on the ‘Details’ element on the far right of the listing. This will provide you with a comprehensive product overview, including data such as CTR, CPA, impressions chart, and more.

The ‘Audience insights’ element allows you to see an age bracket breakdown of who’s engaging with these ads, along with related interests, providing key data for analysis and planning efforts.

Dig deeper. You can check out the Creative Center here.

Why we care. This could allow advertisers to make informed decisions about new strategies. By analyzing the performance of specific products based on metrics such as impressions, CTR, CPA, and more, advertisers can determine which products are popular and which are not, and adjust their advertising efforts accordingly.

This data can also help advertisers identify trends in consumer behavior, which can inform their future product development and marketing campaigns. Ultimately, the insights gained from analyzing this data can lead to more effective and efficient advertising strategies, resulting in increased sales and revenue for the advertiser.

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Google Search remains the go-to news discovery platform

Written on February 23, 2023 at 7:29 pm, by admin

Google Search remains the top platforms for U.S. adults to research major news events but Gen Z seems to be more inclined to head to TikTok than other generations, according to a new survey.

Why we care. For publishers, TikTok is the new Facebook. As happened with Facebook years ago, publishers flocked to Facebook, only to slowly watch Facebook squeeze the life out of referral traffic and engagement.

Regardless, TikTok right now may be a legitimate path for publishers to reach the so-called Generation Z (or those born 1997 or later). We’ll see if TikTok follows a similar path as Facebook did with publishers, and whether users end up flocking to the “next TikTok,” assuming one emerges.

Google Search and news, by the numbers. Broken down by generation, here’s how many respondents said they start researching a major news event on Google:

• Baby boomers: 48%
• Gen Xers: 47%
• Millennials: 45%
• Gen Z adults: 39%

Gen Z and TikTok. 14% of respondents said they start researching a major news event on TikTok. This was was significantly higher than all other generations – only 1%.

Does this truly mean it’s past the “wait-and-see phase” for publishers, as the survey indicates? Many large publishers (e.g., the New York Times, Wall Street Journal) have accounts but aren’t super active, while many other publishers (eg., Financial Times, Axios) simply don’t have a presence on TikTok.

Could AI chat in Google/Bing search drive more publishers to TikTok? Anything is possible. We know very little about what Google’s AI chat in search will ultimately look like (perhaps Google is intentionally sitting back a bit to let Bing be the first one through the AI wall and avoid some of the early mistakes?) and whether it will alter the way people search or impact organic traffic.

But as the survey notes:

“As search engine referrals may eventually become scarcer, publishers can’t be too conservative in restricting their most compelling coverage to their websites. This means investing more resources into repurposing portions of paywalled content into posts for social platforms, whether that be vertical videos on TikTok or even video podcasts on YouTube.”

– Kevin Tran, TikTok Really Is Becoming Gen Z’s Google, and More on How Gen Z Gets Its News

About the survey. Morning Consult conducted the survey Feb. 3-5. Results were based on responses of 2,199 U.S. adults, with an unweighted margin of error of +/-2 percentage points. You can read it in full here.

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New LinkedIn feature to boost your content visibility

Written on February 23, 2023 at 7:29 pm, by admin

You will soon be able to highlight what type of content appears in the Activity section of your LinkedIn profile.

Why we care. LinkedIn continues to add helpful tools and features for marketers and content creators. This change, while minor, is another small way to help increase the visibility of your content, which hopefully can help increase your presence on LinkedIn, expand your professional network (connections/followers) and ultimately help grow business or advance your career.

What is changing. You will get to choose which content type your Activity section shows first:

• Posts
• Videos
• Images
• Newsletters
• Articles
• Documents

What it looks like. Here’s a GIF of what this will look like:

The green, highlighted tab is what will show first for people who view your profile.

When the change will roll out. LinkedIn said this will be available to all members in the “next few weeks.”

LinkedIn’s announcement. You can read it here. It recaps several other recent updates, including the LinkedIn SEO change we reported earlier this month in LinkedIn now lets you add an SEO title and description.

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Social media engagement hits a new low, except for TikTok

Written on February 22, 2023 at 3:27 pm, by admin

Social media as we’ve known it seems to be in its dying days – with one notable exception, Tiktok. That’s according to a new social media engagement rate benchmark report.

TLDR. There are five important takeaways for brands from the 2023 Social Media Benchmark Report, which was released today by Rival IQ:

1. Organic engagement: falling or flatlining. Engagement rates declined on Instagram for the third straight year but have held pretty steady for Facebook and Twitter.
2. Posting frequency declining. Post frequency was flat on Instagram but took a ~20% dive on Facebook and Twitter.
3. Hot holiday hashtags. Almost every industry earned top engagement rates from holiday-hashtagged posts, while contests and giveaways were less popular than in other years.
4. Reels rule on Instagram. Reels dethroned carousels in multiple industries to become the most engaging post type.
5. TikTok tops the charts. With a median engagement rate of 5.69%, TikTok was every industry’s best friend this year.

Why we care. The report provides valuable information that can help advertisers gauge the effectiveness of their social media strategies and identify areas for improvement. By comparing their own brand’s engagement rates to the industry averages, you can determine whether your social media performance is above or below par and make necessary adjustments to optimize their campaigns for better engagement and conversion rates.

About the report. It examined the mean engagement rates for different brand verticals across major social media networks.

It’s important to note that Rival IQ chose 150 companies, at random, from each of the 14 industries they studied, including:

• Media
• Nonprofits
• Food & beverage
• Retail
• Travel

The companies they analyzed had active presences on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter as of January 2022, and had Facebook fan counts between 25,000 and 1,000,000 and minimum Instagram, TikTok, Twitter followers of 5,000 as of the same date.

Interesting statistic. Among all industries, the average engagement rate for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter never goes higher than 0.47% (Instagram). Even still, Instagram took a 30% dip in 2022 compared to 2021, while Facebook and Twitter remained flat.

The rate of weekly posts on Instagram remained steady in 2022, while it decreased on Twitter and Facebook, likely due to reduced investment by brands.

TikTok’s engagement rate, on the other hand, comes in at a whopping 5.69%. But brands are posting less frequently on TikTok than any other channel.

Higher Ed, for example, posts the least, but sees the highest engagement, whereas retail, influencers, and beauty post more frequently, but

“Higher Ed sees epic engagement rates on TikTok but is one of the least frequent posters, while Media brands’ lagging engagement rates prove once again that more posting isn’t necessarily better.”

Rival IQ

The bigger picture. Organic social, in general, has been trending downward in terms of traffic and engagement for years. Which is why brands have been flocking to TikTok (which arguably isn’t even a “social network” as it’s more about content discovery).

Enter AI. In addition to playing a key role in ChatGPT, AI and machine learning created some new possibilities for social networks.

“At first, social networks showed you stuff your friends thought was interesting — the Facebook model. Then they started showing you stuff based on the people that you chose to follow, whether you were friends or not — the Twitter model.

TikTok’s innovation was to show you stuff using only algorithmic predictions, regardless of who your friends are or who you followed. It soon became the most downloaded app in the world.

TikTok’s innovation was to show you stuff using only algorithmic predictions, regardless of who your friends are or who you follow. It soon became the most downloaded app in the world.”

Casey Newton, Platformer

Which gets us back to where we started. Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are trying to catch up (read: emulate) TikTok. Meanwhile, advertiser budgets have also followed. And TikTok continues to find new ways to improve reach for brands.

Dig deeper. You can download the report from Rival IQ here.

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Musk gave engineers one week to make Twitter’s ad targeting work like Google

Written on February 22, 2023 at 3:27 pm, by admin

Despite announcing an end to layoffs at a meeting held on November 21st, Elon Musk has continued to terminate Twitter employees, even after already forcing out approximately two-thirds of the workforce in just a few weeks.

What’s happening. Musk intends to revamp Twitter’s ad targeting system to resemble that of Google’s search ads, which primarily focus on keywords searched for rather than a user’s activity or profile data. Although this approach has proven successful for search engines, where users seek out specific information, it has yet to prove effective for social media businesses.

Set up for failure. Following his recent termination from his position as engineering manager for monetization at Twitter, Marcin Kadluczka suggested in a tweet on Saturday that the one-week deadline imposed by Elon Musk was impractical, stating that he believed it would take 2-3 months for Twitter to genuinely enhance its advertising capabilities. My sources have confirmed that Musk set this demanding timeline just before dismissing Kadluczka, as well as other employees in the ads, consumer, and sales departments last Friday.

Musk has been trying to improve Twitter ads since he acquired the company. While it’s uncertain whether altering Twitter’s ad targeting system to prioritize keywords, similar to Google ads, will result in better quality advertising, experts in the field have raised questions and identified potential drawbacks

Why we care. If the new targeting strategy fails to produce satisfactory results (which is the most likely scenario), advertisers could be wasting their advertising budgets on ineffective campaigns.

Additionally, any changes to Twitter’s advertising platform could have broader implications for the social media advertising industry as a whole, potentially leading to changes in advertising best practices across multiple platforms. The uncertainty and changes could cause the few advertisers still on Twitter could leave the platform.

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Google Search Console users and permissions management updated

Written on February 22, 2023 at 3:27 pm, by admin

Google has updated the Google Search Console user and permissions management feature to incorporate functionality related to ownership and user management. These features were in the old Google Webmaster Tools and has finally been brought over to the current version of Google Search Console.

What is new. Google added to Google Search Console’s user and permissions management these features:

• Distinguishing between verified and delegated owners
• Easier, immediate removal of verified owners (no need to remove their ownership token)
• Ability to change delegated owners’ permissions levels (owner, full, restricted)
• Ability to see your property’s verification tokens for all current and previous users and specifically see tokens leftover by previous owners
• Ownership events history

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot Google shared in its blog post of this updated management interface:

Permission best practices. Google also posted some best practices around permission and user rights, including:

• Only give the level of access needed for that individual to do his or her work
• Update or revoke that access when that individual no longer needs access
• Regularly audit and update permissions through the users and permissions page in Search Console
• Use the share link to share reports on a one-off-basis

Why we care. With these permission updates, you will have a bit more control on who has access to what areas of your Search Console profiles. Make sure to “review the leftover ownership tokens so that removed owners cannot regain access to the property,” Google said. Also, make sure to review the new help documentation and permission levels to learn what levels give what access.

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[Next week] All-new training on ChatGPT, GA4, and more

Written on February 22, 2023 at 3:27 pm, by admin

Don’t miss your chance to participate in tactic-rich, expert-led training on your search marketing specialty: Register now for your choice of live, two-day SMX Master Class for just $299 each – happening online next Wednesday and Thursday, March 1-2!

(Need to convince your boss to let you attend? These handy talking points and templated letter can help!)

• Google Analytics 4 training with Colleen Harris
• Technical SEO training with Eric Enge
• PPC landing page optimization training with Brian Massey
• SEO-friendly content marketing training with Michael Brenner
• Advanced SEO training with Bruce Clay
• Advanced Google Ads training with Brad Geddes

Breaking news! Many of our instructors are making last-minute additions to their curriculum that tackle ChatGPT and the expanding role of AI in marketing! Here’s a sneak peek:

Bruce Clay’s Advanced SEO class will now examine how ChatGPT can speed up your content writing process – provided you leverage it appropriately (hint: human fact-checking, wordsmithing, and so on).

Eric Enge’s Technical SEO class will now also explore the impact of conversational chat systems like ChatGPT:

• Who are the big players?
• What role will it play in content creation?
• The limitations of ChatGPT
• How ChatGPT will impact search in the long term

Brad Geddes’ Advanced Google Ads class will include examples and assistance for using OpenAI (and ChatGPT specifically) to:

• Research ad groups
• Find keywords for specific ad groups
• Create ad headlines
• Create calls to action and benefit statements for ads
• Refine your query and the results

Michael Brenner’s SEO-friendly content marketing class will now examine how you can (and when you shouldn’t) leverage AI in your creative endeavors:

• Why AI won’t kill SEO or take your job
• The impact of AI on Search
• How to use AI for content generation
• Reasons to avoid using AI content

And there’s more to come! Don’t be left behind. Explore the hottest topics in search alongside industry legends who are ready to answer your burning questions – all from the comfort of your own computer. Secure your spot at one of these exclusive SMX Master Classes for just $299 and join us online next week!

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Amazon’s share of seller revenue is now 50%

Written on February 21, 2023 at 11:26 am, by admin

Based on P&Ls provided by a sample of sellers, the fees incurred by a typical Amazon seller include a 15% transaction fee, referred to as a referral fee by Amazon, and 20-35% in Fulfillment by Amazon fees, which encompass storage and other fees. Additionally, advertising and promotional expenses on Amazon can amount to up to 15% of the total fees, with the overall costs varying according to category, product price, size, weight, and the seller’s business model.

marketplacepulse.com

While the 15% transaction fee has remained constant for more than a decade, it can vary by category and be as low as 8%. Meanwhile, Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees have increased gradually over time, with Amazon introducing yearly increases in fulfillment fees and storage fees. Given that selling on Amazon is tied to using FBA, most sellers rely on it to succeed on the platform.

Not news for many sellers. I reached out to a few Amazon sellers and agencies and was asked to keep their information private. But I was told:

“For several years Amazon has been prioritizing Advertising revenue and increasing fees which has put pressure on sellers, especially smaller brands. Despite that brands would be leaving money on the table not being on Amazon. Smart brands diversify to other channels(DTC/Retail) and continue to optimize their business to adapt to the changing landscape.”

I’m not an Amazon seller, and my digital experience is more limited to lead generation, so I thought this was eye opening. But for those more familiar with the ecommerce landscape in 2023, it’s not a surprise.

“At the same time it’s not necessarily cheaper to sell elsewhere – fees have gone up everywhere.” 

Forcing sellers to advertise. While Amazon does not dictate how much to spend on advertising, competition among sellers who choose to advertise drives up that cost. Unlike other marketplaces, advertising on Amazon is not a choice, as the most prominent screen space is typically reserved for ads.

Consequently, sellers must advertise to increase their chances of being discovered by customers. Some sellers still spend relatively little on advertising, and some resellers spend less than 5% of their sales on ads. However, private label sellers often spend over 10% of their revenue on advertising to grow their brand.

The percentage of fees paid by Amazon sellers as a proportion of their sales increases every year, not because they are using more services, but because the cost of certain services has risen (e.g., FBA) or because certain fees are now unavoidable (e.g., advertising).

marketplacepulse.com

Other options for ecommerce sellers. Compared to Amazon, Walmart is a more economical choice, particularly for new sellers that can take advantage of transaction fee discounts. However, Walmart’s market size is significantly smaller than Amazon’s, meaning that sellers cannot entirely replace Amazon with Walmart. Additionally, direct-to-consumer e-commerce platforms like Shopify operate on a fundamentally different business model, and fees are not the sole consideration.

To cope with the rising fees, sellers are either increasing their prices, seeking alternatives to FBA, or branching out from Amazon entirely. Nevertheless, some sellers only realize how little net profit they have left at the end of the tax year, with a few even reporting paying up to 60% or 70% of their revenue to Amazon in fees. They must still account for other expenses, such as inventory, freight, and employees.

Dig deeper. You can read the full study on Marketplace Pulse.

Why we care. Rising fees on Amazon have a direct impact on advertising costs, as advertising is a necessary expense for most sellers on the platform. As more sellers choose to advertise, the competition for ad space increases, driving up advertising costs. Consequently, advertisers may need to adjust their advertising strategies and budgets to account for these costs.

As fees continue to increase, advertisers may face difficulty generating a return on investment, which could impact their bottom line. Therefore, advertisers need to keep a close eye on the costs of selling on Amazon and ensure that they are making informed decisions when allocating their advertising budgets.

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