Atomic Media

Google ad extensions are being rebranded as assets

Written on September 16, 2022 at 2:05 am, by admin

Google just announced that ad extensions will be rebranded to assets in the Google Ads UI. The change will be rolled out over the next couple of weeks.

What this means. Previously, creating and managing assets such as call extensions or sitelinks were done in a separate step of the campaign creation process. Now, when you set up a Search or Performance Max campaign, the extensions (now assets) are created in the same step.

What it looks like. The preview tool in the ads manager will automatically update so you can see the extension assets for your ads. Google will also show recommended assets based on your campaign goals. Assets that are created during this stage of the setup process will be available when you work on other campaigns and ad groups.

The new “Ads & assets” menu. The “Assets” page will have reports for all assets across the account. Headlines and descriptions are in the “Asset” view while the “Association” table shows segments such as images and prices. For easier viewing and performance analysis, you can also filter the reports by asset type.

A new combinations report. With this report, you’ll be able to see how assets such as callouts and sitelinks perform against headlines and descriptions.

Launch ETA. Unified reporting in the “Assets” page will roll out over the coming weeks for all campaign types that previously supported ad extensions and the updated combinations report will roll out in the next few months. 

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Dig deeper. You can read the full announcement from Google here.

Why we care. New workflows and reports could give advertisers more insight into how their campaigns and assets are performing. The rearrangement of the Google UI could also make creating and managing assets faster and easier since it can now be done in the same step as the main campaign creation.

Keep an eye on your account to see if you have access to the new reports and familiarize yourself with the new layout. As always, be mindful of any assets that are created using machine learning and review them before they go live.

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Courtesy of Search Engine Land: News & Info About SEO, PPC, SEM, Search Engines & Search Marketing

12 WordPress site settings that are critical to your SEO success

Written on September 16, 2022 at 2:05 am, by admin

WordPress is one of the most SEO-friendly content management systems today. If you have a WordPress website, there are many things you can do to improve your SEO. But if you’re not careful, you could also harm your site’s ranking without realizing it. 

In this post, you’ll discover 12 settings to consider if you want your WordPress website to reach its full SEO potential.

In SEO, security is an often overlooked but important consideration. Beyond general SEO settings, we’ll review some necessary security settings that can help prevent negative SEO attacks. 

SEO settings for WordPress

Below are simple settings that should be the foundation of all WordPress sites looking to improve their SEO efforts. 

1. Set up homepage and blog settings

Before you start building out the pages and posts, you must ensure that your homepage and blog pages are set up and ready to go. This may seem like a minor detail, but it’s essential. Your homepage is the first thing people will see when they visit your site, so you want to make sure it makes a good impression. 

Likewise, your blog is a great way to connect with your audience and build an engaged following. By setting up these essential pages before you start adding content, you’re more likely to end up with a successful website that people will enjoy visiting.

By default, WordPress has your latest posts page as the home page. You will need to select ‘A static page’ option and select which page is your home page and which is your blog page.

2. Optimize permalinks

When you set up your blog, one of the first things you need to decide is how you want your URLs to be structured. 

A scalable URL taxonomy will make it much easier for search engines to crawl and index, and it will also be more user-friendly. As a result, it is worth taking the time to choose a permalink structure that will work well for your blog in the long run. There are a few different options, so take some time to experiment and find the one that works best for you and your blog.

You may choose whichever structure works best for your site, but I recommend using a custom structure and staying away from a date-based structure. A permalink structure that uses month and day or day and name can create a convoluted site architecture. 

3. Dynamic sitemap

A dynamic sitemap is an essential tool for any website. It helps search engines index your site and makes it easier for users to find the information they are looking for. 

On the other hand, a static sitemap is a lot less effective, can be difficult to keep up to date, and doesn’t offer the same level of scalability. 

Plenty of plugins offer dynamic sitemap options with various customizations. So if you’re looking for the best way to improve your website’s SEO, a dynamic sitemap is the way to go. 

4. Set up an automated image optimizer

To maintain a fast WordPress site, you need to have optimized images. The SEO benefits of having optimized images are numerous, from increased website speed to better search engine rankings. The simplest way to optimize your images is to use a plugin. 

Many WordPress plugins will automatically optimize images as you upload them. While some are paid, many free options work just as well. 

5. Set up default title and meta descriptions

Many SEO plugins offer default settings for titles and meta descriptions, guaranteeing that all new pages are optimized for search. This is a lifesaver for large websites with many pages or teams unfamiliar with SEO best practices. By taking advantage of these tools, you can help to ensure that your website is visible and easily found by potential visitors.

In the screenshot below, I’m using Yoast to set defaults for my blog posts. In my title, I put a structured format to make it user-friendly. 

For meta descriptions, I’m pulling an excerpt from the beginning of the blog post. This is a simple default setting that anyone can deploy.

Protect your SEO with these WordPress security settings

SEO is starting to become a crucial element of website security. Website security has always been important, but it is becoming even more so as the web becomes more and more a part of our everyday lives. 

Websites are now being used for everything from online shopping to online banking, and if a website is not secure, the consequences can be serious. 

Google has penalties for websites infected with malware and those that may be practicing social engineering. If your website is not secure, you could be losing out on potential customers and rankings in Google’s search engine. Website security is, therefore an important element of SEO and should not be ignored. 

Here are some simple tips to better secure your WordPress website.

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6. Deactivate comments

While the SEO value of comment sections has been debated, there is no doubt that they can be a security risk. 

Spammers often use comment sections to add links to their websites, which can contain malicious code. Hackers can also attempt SQL injections and XSS attacks through online forms. 

As a result, it is vital to be aware of the risks associated with comment sections. If you choose to use a comment section on your WordPress site, monitor it closely and delete any spam or suspicious comments. 

You should consider disabling the comment section if you are unwilling to put in the extra effort to keep it secure. Below is a screenshot that shows how to disable the content section.

7. Deactivate and remove XML-RPC

One of WordPress’s most common security vulnerabilities is brute force attacks on the XML-RPC file. By default, this file is activated and can be used to access the WordPress site remotely. 

However, it also provides a perfect target for hackers using automated tools to guess the username and password. Once they gain access, they can wreak havoc by deleting files, installing malware, or even taking over the entire site. 

An easy way to protect against these attacks is by deactivating the XML-RPC file. Doing so will prevent remote access to the site and disable some features such as pingbacks and trackbacks. 

SEO experts believe that the increased security outweighs the drawbacks. So if you’re concerned about brute force attacks on your WordPress site, deactivate the XML-RPC file.

There are three ways to deactivate the xmlrpc.php file on WordPress sites.

• Use a plugin: Search the plugin directory for “remove xmlrpc”
• Add this code to functions.php file:
  add_filter('xmlrpc_enabled', '__return_false');
• Disable it in the .htaccess file:
  # Block WordPress xmlrpc.php requests
<Files xmlrpc.php>
order deny,allow
deny from all
</Files>

8. Set user permissions

As a WordPress site manager, you must ensure that the site runs smoothly and that all stakeholders have the necessary access. That said, not all stakeholders need access to every aspect of the site. 

Setting user permissions allows you to give each stakeholder access to only the sections they need – keeping the site organized and preventing unauthorized changes from being made. 

In addition, you should review user permissions regularly to ensure that they are still accurate. 

WordPress provides an excellent summary of what each role can do.

9. Ensure all users have secure passwords with 2FA

Having secure passwords and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) are effective ways to make a WordPress site more difficult to hack. 

Hackers attempting brute force login attacks use large password lists that contain millions of the most common passwords. Having a complex password can help render these password lists ineffective.

If a hacker were to get access to your password, having 2FA enabled can help act as another method to prevent hackers from gaining access to your site. 

Many security plugins offer 2FA settings.

10. Set up limit login attempts

A brute force attack happens when an attacker tries to guess a user’s password by repeatedly entering different combinations of characters. One way to prevent brute force attacks is to configure your WordPress site to limit login attempts. 

This security measure will block an attacker’s IP address after a certain number of unsuccessful login attempts, making it more difficult for them to gain access to your site. 

11. Auto-update plugins

Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that their plugins can be a security risk. If a plugin is outdated, it may be vulnerable to known exploits. This is why it’s ideal to go with auto-updating plugins.

12. Set up recurring backups

You shouldn’t overlook a solid website security plan in today’s digital age. One of the best ways to protect your site is to ensure that you have daily backups taken. If your site is hacked or experiences any other security breach, you’ll have a recent copy of your site that you can restore. 

While many plugins offer this service, it’s often best to find a WordPress host to manage backups. This way, you can be sure that your backups are being taken care of regularly. 

Wrapping up

As your site gains more visitors, ensuring its foundation is strong will be increasingly important. Applying the settings mentioned in this article is essential to start SEO on WordPress. By following these tips, you are taking a vital step toward creating a scalable website that will grow with your business. 

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How to tell if you’ve been hit by an algorithm update

Written on September 16, 2022 at 2:05 am, by admin

The news of a Google algorithm update rolling out can be concerning for SEO practitioners. Shifts in the search landscape are inevitable, and as SEOs, we must always be ready to face them.

When you see changes in your SERPs performance, the first thing you can do is to figure out whether you were indeed affected by an algorithm update.

Want to know if the patterns you are seeing are connected to an update or something else entirely?

In this article, I will share an exhaustive list of data and events to rule in or out. Use this as your guide so that you have all the answers you need for your own knowledge or to reassure those you report to before they even ask you what’s up.

The following advice applies to any update, be it a core update or a new aspect of rank evaluation. 

1. Check primary sources of information 

Whenever you first become aware of the existence of the latest update, I’d recommend tracing back to a credible primary source of information for first-hand explanations of the update and its characteristics. 

In the case of a Google update, this will often be formally announced and explained on the Google Search Ranking Updates page. 

I’d also recommend following the people who write about the content or engineer the change, such as Danny Sullivan, Google’s public liaison for search, or John Mueller, Google’s search advocate. 

If updates are related more to performance or Core Web Vitals, then you should follow Addy Osmani, senior staff engineering manager for Google Chrome.

Starting with the right primary sources for information helps you establish some of the real characteristics of what the update is designed to do and often what the outcomes may be if your pages fall foul of this.

2. Review your activities objectively

Try to be as objective as possible, mainly if this is your own website. Don’t let your emotional and financial investment cloud your judgment. 

Do the primary sources describe your pages or tactics? In the case of the helpful content update, Google has shared some provocative questions to evaluate if you can objectively consider your content helpful. 

• Is the content primarily to attract people from search engines, rather than made for humans?
• Are you producing lots of content on different topics in hopes that some of it might perform well in search results?
• Are you using extensive automation to produce content on many topics?
• Are you mainly summarizing what others have to say without adding much value?
• Are you writing about things simply because they seem trending and not because you’d write about them otherwise for your existing audience?
• Does your content leave readers feeling like they need to search again to get better information from other sources?
• Are you writing to a particular word count because you’ve heard or read that Google has a preferred word count? (No, we don’t).
• Did you decide to enter some niche topic area without any real expertise, but instead mainly because you thought you’d get search traffic?
• Does your content promise to answer a question that actually has no answer, such as suggesting there’s a release date for a product, movie, or TV show when one isn’t confirmed?

Now, we all know how hard it is to spot our own spelling mistakes or proof our writing. I would challenge you to pass your content to a family member or mentor and see if they will provide some honest perspective.

3. Check to see if the dates of your anomalous traffic patterns line up with the update

If pages or aspects of your site are questionable in the confines of the latest update characteristics, make sure to:

• Monitor your site analytics packages. 
• Understand what the intended consequences of the update will be. 

First, let’s understand what a “rollout” means. The way an algorithm update “rolls out” doesn’t always mean you will see a pronounced negative impact scythe through your traffic like an Old Testament plague of locusts. 

Look at this query and how many different rollouts are described in these historical and real updates. To summarize, what rolling out can look like in terms of an algorithm update – be it core or new – may be as follows.

• Sector-specific rollouts. For example, YMYL, or “Your Money or Your Life,” content has been highlighted frequently in recent years – and quite rightly – because providing poor quality information in these areas can hurt users.
• Geographic rollouts (particularly when it comes to content-related updates).
• Volatile rollouts. For example, where an impact may appear very sharp initially, with some recovery, as engineers try to find the right balance for the new algorithm outside of testing.
• Progressive rollouts that may get stronger and stronger or take longer to get out of. In the case of the helpful content update, the classifier process is entirely machine-learned, meaning “sites identified by this update may find the signal applied to them over a period of months.” 

4. Check other search engine traffic sources

This one can be a little difficult as Google is so dominant in most markets. However, you may have a site that is big enough to have a reliable amount of data from Microsoft Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yandex (or combine them together to see Google vs. “other search” in a graph). 

If your other search engine sources of traffic are following the same sort of data patterns as usual and Google is the only one showing the anomalous pattern then that’s a really good indication that it’s Google specific, and you need to go deeper into the update.

Have a look at this tip from Gianna Brachetti-Truskawa, where they’ve reminded us to check Bing Webmaster tools and what to look for.

5. Check your data sources – but don’t come to final conclusions

So you’re checking your analytics package of choice, and your Search Console data and secondary sources (which we will come to in more detail next). If you see no initial volatility or notable shift in any direction immediately, this may be due to the pace of the rollout. Don’t come to any final conclusions until the update rollout is complete.

Also, consider your comparison periods and get your date patterns and pages lined up. Regardless of your business sector, most traffic has a weekly cycle, so it’s always a good idea to compare the first week of rollout to the equivalent week in the preceding year as opposed to the exact same dates. 

In the case of the helpful content update, I’d be looking at the week of Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022 to Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, and comparing it to Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021 to Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.

You can see in this graph that the numbers follow the same smooth pattern for the weekly flow. Regardless if you are up or down from last year, the thing to watch out for is an anomalous pattern in the current period.

Also, props to GA4 for actually suggesting this as a comparison period. See how when you choose to compare a custom period, the second pre-set option is Compare: Same period last year (match day of week)?

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6. Check secondary sources of information

At the beginning of this article, I mentioned the importance of primary sources for the first stage of information. The industry being what it is, there will then follow a lot of speculation which may or may not be useful to you depending on where you are in your learning process. 

I say “speculation” as providing real insight requires a lot of data, experience and time. Once a rollout is close to completion, it is then a good idea to be looking for reputable secondary sources. In the case of new updates, this is where tool providers can provide fantastic insights.

At the same time, a great secondary source, like in this case the Sistrix team, has the credibility, data and authority to announce that there’s pretty much nothing to report one week in.

But keep an eye on reputable news sources like Search Engine Land, Moz, Sistrix, and Semrush as these are where the people with data and years of experience will be publishing if and when there’s something to talk about.

7. My traffic went up! Did I ‘win’ the update? 

When it comes to (generally speaking) linear rankings, if the pages that precede yours are negatively impacted by a rollout, you will “go up” – like SEO Whac-A-Mole!

This does not mean that you have “won” or are necessarily doing a great job. You may very well be. But you should also not take it for granted that this stage of this rollout benefited you. If this happens to our clients our immediate checks are to see:

• Are there notable absences from stable competitors?
• What does the realignment look like? Is it volatile? A lot of movement or just one or two high-ranking contenders now absent?
• Has the SERP layout changed at all recently?
• Are there any differences in SERP layout and aggregate rankings across main markets? (For us, this tends to be the U.S. and U.K. as both are great high-volume markets with the same language so makes for good comparison data.)

When we look into the above, we’re looking at characteristics and commonalities between the pages that are now absent. We’re comparing our clients to those, to see if we think there is any risk at all or if we are, as usual, ahead of the curve. (This will happen if you optimize for users first and let Google catch up to you!)

8. My traffic went down. How do I confirm it is the update?

Let’s say:

• Your traffic has taken an anomalous downturn from the start of the rollout.
• You can tick the box on the questions to ask yourself about the characteristics of the update. 

In that case, there are still a few ways you can confirm this with data. But this will vary from update to update depending on the characteristics. In this recent helpful content update example, I’d be confirming this with my site data by slicing my analytics in the following ways:

• Using regex or filters to exclude non-content pages.
• If my website is a brand I’d also look at organic performance outside of the homepage.
• Remember that this particular update can have a sitewide impact if the majority of the site is classified as unhelpful, so all content on your site may be impacted in some way.

9. My traffic patterns are still fluctuating – what else could it be? 

If you have anomalously patterned organic search traffic commensurate with an algorithm update period and can’t confidently rule out the update completely, here are some things to check which may explain the data patterns:

Other media

If your organization is mid- to large-sized, it’s a good idea to check out what activities are going on in other marketing and advertising departments. TV for example can often cause a really big positive spike in visits. We like to use Google Trends with Glimpse Chrome extension to give both the pattern and the actual volume here. 

In this example, you can clearly see spikes in the brand term volume that coincide with the 2020 sponsorship (and weekly airing) of one of the UK’s most popular TV programs, “Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway,” in a deal that started late Feb. 2020.

Social media influencers

This can be a hard one to trace if it’s not a link click, but do consider the characteristics of anomalous traffic patterns against brand references from social media influencers.

We had a situation once with a client who used a particular ingredient in a drink and ranked in the top 3 for a page explaining this ingredient. Using a process of thorough rule-outs, we managed to establish that the ingredient was mentioned as having health benefits by a very popular YouTube influencer.

Such instances can be very difficult to work out. But by checking the primary volume-driving-term for the spiking landing page in Google Search Console, you can use that query in the search of each of the social platforms to see if you can spot who may have name-dropped you.

Spam traffic

Perhaps it is unfortunate timing and you may see a spike in traffic due to an increase in spam. Or alternatively a drop in traffic due to the sharp absence of it.

Get hold of your server logs for the anomalous data periods and ask the following questions:

• Is it a particular country that’s driving the pattern?
• Have there been changes with your host, firewall, or CDN that could explain sudden anomalous drops in traffic?

Lost links

It’s also possible that you’ve lost a significant number of quality backlinks. (Maybe a site that links to you frequently has gone out of business.) While the traffic from that should show up in referrals, it can have an impact on rankings. If you have tens of thousands of ranking keywords, just a few little drops in rank across the board can look like an anomalous drop. 

The inverse of this can also be true. If you nail a killer digital PR campaign and accrue a lot of high-quality links from sites that have traffic, this can lead to:

• An overnight bump in referral traffic.
• Increase in brand demand.
• Across-the-board rank improvements.

DebtBuffer experienced a 1,500% spike in brand-driven search traffic as soon as one of their stories went live, as Tom Johnson of ReactivePr shares in a recent case study. The story itself was topical, timely and an expose of big energy companies and how they allocate energy top-up cards against customer debt, so it did get a lot of consumer interest. 

Manual penalties

While much less common to see in SEO today, you can still receive a manual action if Google identifies or determines that you’re engaging in any practices that contravene their guidelines. Check Google Search Console for notifications, just in case.

SERP layout change

In this phenomenally comprehensive CTR study from Sistrix, the single biggest takeaway was “Click rates are determined by the SERP layout”. Simply put, if the Google landing page for one or some of your high-volume keywords changes, that is going to have a knock-on effect on your traffic patterns.

This isn’t always a bad thing. For example, we have a client with a physical destination. One of their biggest drivers of traffic used to be “[brand name] postcode”. By using schema to mark up the structure of that kind of data, we are now able to allow Google to answer that question in-SERP. 

This reduces unnecessary server costs and gives a more accurate picture of the conversion rate for the site, as those people are customers who now need to find the venue. A change like this can have a sudden anomalous drop pattern, but actually, it’s a positive overall.

As we can see in this example, the answer to this query is presented clearly in large bold letters, extracted from the listing from The National Trust. Therefore, a click is not required to satisfy the intent.

Front-end changes

I’ve mentioned how getting access to your server logs and ruling out changes in the stack (CDN, firewall etc.) can help understand if spam is a factor. However, it is also worth checking to see if any front-end changes have occurred that have been positively or negatively perceived. 

Hopefully, your business will have a change log or some form of editorial control for those who are able to make changes to the front end. Things to look out for could be:

• Page deletions: Has a well-meaning colleague deleted an out-of-date post rather than updating or redirecting? 
• Have we added things to the site that can slow it down causing a significant increase in time to get the page fully rendered and interactive?
• Has the aesthetic changed in any way? 
  • Look at a total redesign to the addition of a huge banner video on the homepage. Things that may seem cosmetic can have short sharp positive and negative impacts on how search engines rank your pages because these changes significantly impact human perception too. 

Figure out whether it was an update or something else

Hopefully, this article has provided some useful information and some reasoned approaches you can consider in your own reaction to Google update announcements.

The post How to tell if you’ve been hit by an algorithm update appeared first on Search Engine Land.

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Google now has recommendations for Analytics

Written on September 14, 2022 at 10:55 pm, by admin

Google Analytics now has tailored recommendations to help users become aware of new features by reviewing your property’s history, settings, and trends across Analytics.

The recommendations appear in the Insights and Recommendations section of the homepage, as well as throughout Analytics wherever they’re relevant.

Learn more. You can read more about Analytics recommendations in their help documentation.

Why we care. Advertisers should check their Google Analytics accounts regularly for outages, updates, and, now, recommendations. As always, we suggest never enabling auto-apply recommendations and always testing new features. Isn’t Google just so helpful?

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Webinar: How to avoid these 8 big email mistakes

Written on September 14, 2022 at 10:55 pm, by admin

Unfortunately, we’ve all been there. Every now and then, we make cringe-worthy mistakes. But the mistakes that haunt us in our personal lives often aren’t as public as email marketing mistakes, which go out to hundreds and thousands of subscribers.

This webinar covers the eight most common email marketing pitfalls, including deliverability, subject lines, design and more, to help you understand how to avoid or fix them. 

Register today for “The 8 Biggest Email Mistakes and How to Avoid Them,” presented by Adobe.

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Walmart is expanding their self-service Marketplace platform

Written on September 14, 2022 at 10:55 pm, by admin

Walmart Connect, the retailer’s marketplace media platform, is expanding and making it easier for advertisers and brands to promote their products by introducing self-service.

Introducing Search Brand Amplifier. Search Brand Amplifier gives products listed in the Walmart marketplace higher visibility by boosting advertised products to the top of search results. Walmart says this benefits newer and smaller brands that haven’t achieved high organic listings within the Walmart platform.

Search Brand Amplifier was previously limited to only managed sellers and a limited number of suppliers, but now it’s widely available to Marketplace brand owners that are registered with Walmart’s Brand Portal.

Sellers can access the Search Brand Amplifier through Walmart Platform Partners.

Enter self-serve. Eligible Marketplace sellers will be able to launch and manage their own ad campaigns through the Walmart Ad Center. Once a three-day enrollment period, users can now complete it in a matter of minutes. Additionally, existing Marketplace sellers will be onboarded automatically.

Walmart is also updating the look of the Ad Center and easier instructions to “reduce the guesswork” for launching and optimizing campaigns.

The platform. Walmart offers sellers two different ad choices. Display and Sponsored Products.

• Display. Display ads are featured both on the Walmart site and off, across the website and social channels
• Sponsored products. These are featured on the Walmart website in visible placements as users browse

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Global expansion. Walmart has also pushed to expand its Marketplace internationally. They’re now available in Canada, the UK, and India. They’ll also add additional API partners to focus on countries with more sellers such as China.

Walmart is America’s largest omnichannel retailer claiming to serve 90% of US households and their global ad business surpassed $2 billion in revenue in 2021. Their retail focus has always been centered around low prices, which could prove beneficial this holiday season with inflation and an uncertain economy.

Additional resources. If you’re new to the Walmart Ad center, they have resources available to help sellers optimize their search campaigns here. You can also read the announcement from their blog here.

The Walmart Ad Center also integrates with several PPC management tools. If you’re an advertiser or brand that manages several different campaigns or product feeds in the Walmart Ad Center, these tools can help streamline and automate various aspects including keywords, bids, reporting and analysis.

Interesting fact. Walmart announced a partnership with Paramount Global last month to offer its Walmart+ members the streaming service for free as part of their benefits. The Paramount+ Essential Plan will give Walmart+ members access to Paramount+’s catalog of content, from movies to live sports.

There isn’t any speculation yet as to what the partnership means long-term, but it could be Walmart’s first introduction to planning CTV ads.

Why we care. On one hand, the ability for any seller to set up an ad account and sell through Walmart is a great tool, especially ahead of the holiday season. On the other, it’ll be interesting to see how the platform differentiates from Amazon, what its market share is, and how many advertisers are on one or both platforms. Additionally, giving sellers in China access to the platform could cause issues with authenticity and customer support.

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Instagram is testing a “Gifts” monetization feature for creators

Written on September 14, 2022 at 10:55 pm, by admin

Instagram is internally testing a new tool for creators to make money called “Gifts.”

What it looks like. The new feature was first shared on Twitter by developer Alessandro Paluzzi.

Tipping. Not new on social platforms. Instagram is not the first platform to try tipping. In fact, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok already have tipping tools in place for creators to further monetize their platforms.

• Facebook Stars. Live stream viewers can buy stars and send them to creators as they’re streaming. For every star received, Facebook pays only $0.01 USD.
• Instagram Badges are a feature that allows users to show support to creators during a live video. Viewers can purchase in $0.99, $1.99 and $4.99 increments. Badges come in different price tiers between $1 and $5 and Meta will not take a cut of the revenue creators earn from Badges until 2024
• TikTok tips. Users can send TikTok creators a monetary tip on their profile. The creator will receive 100% of the tip amount (Stripe, our payment provider, fees may apply). TikTok doesn’t take any fees from tips

Creator tool graveyard. Last month Instagram shut down its affiliate program after a year of testing. The program allowed influencers to earn a commission for products they helped sell through tagged posts or live videos.

Facebook is also ending its $1 billion pledge to creators they committed to through 2022. In a statement, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “Investing in creators isn’t new for us, but I’m excited to expand this work over time.”

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Read more. You can read the full article from Business Insider here.

Why we care. Additional ways for creators to earn revenue is good news for both the creator, as well as the brands they’re advertising. Creators may feel more incentivized to promote brands on their live feeds if they know they’ll be earning additional revenue outside their initial agreement.

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Google launched support for Performance Max campaigns in ad scripts

Written on September 13, 2022 at 7:41 pm, by admin

Advertisers and developers using Google Ad scripts now have support for Performance Max campaigns. You can pause and enable the campaign, and modify most asset types.

Script limitations. Users won’t be able to modify text assets or create new campaigns or asset groups. Furthermore, listing groups cannot be managed via Scripts.

Additional resources. If you’re interested in setting up your Performance Max campaign script, you can visit the AdsApp here. You can read the announcement from Google here.

Why we care. Ad scripts let you automate specific actions in your ad account, saving time and making management of large or multiple accounts much easier. If you manage Performance Max campaigns and you’re using scripts, you can set them up within your account.

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Webinar: Make your marketing stand out this holiday season

Written on September 13, 2022 at 7:41 pm, by admin

Get ready for the biggest shopping season of the year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, and this year is shaping up to be very different from previous years.

With high inflation and low consumer confidence, plus the lingering effects of the supply chain crisis, nobody knows quite what to expect. But one thing is for sure: if you want your business to succeed, you need to be prepared with relevant, connected experiences across every customer interaction.

Register today for “Expert Advice: Make Your Marketing Stand Out This Holiday Season,” presented by Blueshift.

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Google gives publishers new ways to control their first-party data

Written on September 13, 2022 at 7:41 pm, by admin

Publisher provided signals help publishers categorize their first-party data into audience or contextual segments and then share those signals with programmatic buyers.

How does it work. Publisher provided signals make it easier for programmatic buyers to “find and purchase audiences based on things like demographics, content interests or purchase intent across multiple sites and apps without tracking people’s activity in apps or across the web.”

Sharing signals with trusted partners. Google also improved a feature that allows publishers to securely share signals with trusted third-party buying partners (Authorized Buyers and Open Bidders).

• New expanded code. Currently, publishers are required to work with third parties to set up code. Now, a new feature allows publishers to use their own website code, making it easier to create and send data to trusted partners
• Secure signals. Google will not be able to read or use secured signals. This means that Google Ads Manager will only act as an intermediary on behalf of the publisher to pass the signals to their chosen third-party bidders

Same app keys. Google has also announced that “in the coming months” a feature called same app key will help publishers using the Ad Manager serve relevant ads on iOS without tracking users across third-party apps. There is currently no ETA on the release date for this update.

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Ad privacy and compliance. Google is collaborating with IAB to help publishers and buyers incorporate and follow industry standards. They’re incorporating the IAB Tech Lab’s Seller Defined Audiences into this solution. Publishers can use the IAB’s Audience Taxonomy and Content Taxonomy to share signals with Google Ads and Display & Video 360 as part of the beta test.

Additional resources. Google has provided additional resources for buyers and publishers to learn more about privacy solutions. You can also read the full announcement from Google here.

• Publisher Privacy Playbook
• Learn how European publishers are adapting to the ads privacy landscape and how North American publishers are turning to first-party data to prepare for the future
• Learn how to use key values to earn more from your first-party data
• Learn more about Ad Manager’s first-party data solutions in the Privacy-forward Solutions for Publishers learning path
• Learn more about privacy solutions available in Google Ad Manager, like Publisher Provided Identifiers in webinars at PublishersOnAir.withGoogle.com

Why we care. Digital advertising is growing and publishers are at the forefront of online privacy. Giving publishers more control of their own data helps to ensure that advertisers, tech providers, and other third parties grow their platforms without compromising their customers’ personal information. Additionally, the management of first-party data gives publishers the opportunity to provide more relevant content to the people that utilize their products and visit their websites.

 

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