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Google Search Console’s new video indexing report now rolling out

Written on July 11, 2022 at 12:03 pm, by admin

A couple of months ago Google teased a new video indexing report in Google Search Console, that new report is now rolling out, the search company announced. The Video indexing report is rolling out “gradually over the next few months, so you might not see any changes for now,” the company added.

What is the video indexing report. The video indexing report shows how many indexed pages on your site contain one or more videos, and on how many of those pages a video could be indexed. Google said the report can help you understand the performance of your videos on Google, and identify possible areas of improvement.

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of this report:

When the report shows. Google said if Google detects videos on your site, the Video indexing report will appear on the left navigation bar in the coverage section. If Google has not detected a video on your website, you will not see the report.

What it tells you. The report shows the status of video indexing on your site. It helps you answer the following questions:

• In how many pages has Google identified a video?
• Which videos were indexed successfully?
• What are the issues preventing videos from being indexed?

In addition, if you fix an existing issue, you can use the report to validate the fix and track how your fixed video pages are updated in the Google index, Google explained.

URL Inspection tool for video pages. Google also also enhanced the URL Inspection tool to allow you to check the video indexing status of a specific page. When inspecting a page, if Google detected a video in it, you will see the following in the results:

• Details such as the video URL and the thumbnail URL.
• The page status showing whether the video was indexed or not.
• List of issues preventing the video from being indexed.

Please note, this does not work for the live URL inspection feature.

What The video URL inspection looks like. Here is what this looks like:

Why we care. If you host videos on your site or embed videos on your site, you will want to check out this report to see if there are ways to improve those videos or help other videos to show up in Google Search. Videos are an important aspect of search traffic and visibility in Google Search.

There are a lot more details on this new report in this Google help document.

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Google Analytics 4 integration now available for Ads Manager

Written on July 11, 2022 at 12:03 pm, by admin

Google recently announced that web data reporting will be supported within the Ad Manager publisher networks.

What this means. Now when you link a Google Analytics 4 property to your Google ads account, data from that property is available to view in your Ad Manager reports.  

What metrics are measured. Ad traffic from Google ads will show the following metrics in your reports:

• Ad format
• Ad source
• Ad unit
• Page path + query string and screen class
• Ad unit exposure
• Publisher ad clicks
• Publisher ad impression
• Total ad revenue

Technical requirements. To view the technical requirements for linking Google Analytics 4 to Ad Manager, you can read the help doc here. 

Why we care. Viewing and gathering reports on information regarding app monetization and behavioral data from Google Analytics 4 allows advertisers to further track the customer journey and provide deeper audience insights. 

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Pinterest is doubling down on Shopping by adding 4 new features

Written on July 9, 2022 at 5:53 am, by admin

This week Pinterest introduced four new merchant features to help retailers promote their stores. 

• Product Tagging on Pins
• Video in Catalog
• Shop Tab on Business Profiles
• The API for Shopping

Product Tagging on Pins. Product Tagging allows merchants to make their pins shoppable, so shoppers can click and purchase seamlessly within the app. In early tests, Pinterest reported a 70% higher intent on product Pins tagged in scenes versus standalone product photo Pins. 

Video in Catalog. Video ad formats increased click-through-rate by 158%, lowered cost-per-click by 42%, and lowered cost-per-acquisition by 58% in early tests versus static images. Video ads allow merchants to show additional angles of their products to further drive conversions. 

The Shop Tab on Business Profiles. Merchants will be able to display a prominent Shop button on their business profiles, giving shoppers an easy way to find and view shoppable products. In early tests merchants reported about 30% of their first attributed sales from the Shop tab.

The API. The API allows for better and more accurate metadata management and improved quality for products. Accuracy in early tests came in at about 97%.

What Pinterest said. “At Pinterest, our goal is to turn inspiration into action, and our vision for shopping is to make it possible to buy anything Pinners are inspired by on the platform. In 2021, the number of Pinners engaging with shopping surfaces on Pinterest grew over 215%, and 89% of weekly Pinners use Pinterest for inspiration in their path to purchase. The new shopping features such as the API for Shopping allows brands and retailers to reach high-intent Pinners during the earliest stage of their shopping journey with the most updated catalog data” says Jeremy King, SVP of Engineering at Pinterest.

Read the full announcement on the Pinterest blog here.

Why we care. Albeit following in Instagram’s footsteps a couple of years late, Pinterest merchants and advertisers are finally getting new ways to reach and engage with high-intent shoppers. If you’re a retailer on Pinterest, be sure to implement these new features ASAP.

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Twitter tests CoTweets, co-authored tweets 

Written on July 9, 2022 at 5:53 am, by admin

Twitter is testing a new feature, called CoTweets, that lets any two users collaborate and expand their reach beyond their own followers.

It is a limited test, available to select accounts in the U.S., Canada and Korea.

Why we care. Marketing is all about getting in front of your target audiences. If CoTweets roll out to more accounts, expect to see many brands and businesses experimenting with it in an attempt to gain additional engagement, visibility/brand awareness and new followers.

What is a CoTweet. A CoTweet is a tweet that has two authors’ profile pictures and user names. A CoTweet appears on both users’ profiles and is shown to all of their followers. 

Only the first tweet in a thread can be a CoTweet. A CoTweet can include:

• Polls.
• GIFs.
• Images.
• Videos.
• Links.

How it works. Here’s what Twitter has revealed about how it works:

• One author creates the tweet by selecting the CoTweet icon, then invites a co-author, who receives it via direct message (DM).
• A co-author must follow you and have a public account.
• If the co-author accepts the invitation, the CoTweet is published to each account’s profile and in the timelines of their followers.
• You can’t edit a CoTweet once the invitation is sent. You have to delete the tweet and start over.
• If the co-author declines the invitation, the CoTweet invitation will be deleted.
• There is no limit on how many CoTweet invites you can send.
• You can block any accounts from sending you a CoTweet request.

If you author a CoTweet but no longer want to be associated with it for some reason, your only option is to delete the tweet.

If you are the co-author of a CoTweet and want to remove yourself, you would select the three dots on the CoTweet, then Revoke CoTweet. 

You can read more in Twitter’s Help Center.

All CoTweets could go away. Twitter warned that “At the end of this experiment, we may turn off this feature and any CoTweets that were created may be removed.” 

So, assuming Twitter considers this experiment a failure, any content that people in the test group may simply be deleted. 

This warning seems odd, given their argument that an edit button would “alter the record of the public conversation.” Wouldn’t Twitter deleting CoTweets alter that record as well?

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Google offering concessions to avoid DOJ lawsuit

Written on July 9, 2022 at 5:53 am, by admin

In their latest efforts to fend off a lawsuit from the US Department of Justice, Google is offering to split the part of the business that auctions and places ads on websites and apps into a separate company under the Alphabet umbrella. 

No word from the DOJ. While the Justice Department spokesperson isn’t commenting at this time, it’s not entirely clear if they would accept any offer short of an asset sale. Antitrust officials have hinted at deeper structural changes to the ad-tech business, rather than promises to change business practices. 

Trouble for Google in EU. Google is also facing a similar ad-tech investigation in the European Union. Last month we reported that in their offer to the EU, Google has stated that they would allow competitors to broker the sale of ads directly on YouTube. “We are concerned that Google has made it harder for rival online advertising services to compete in the so-called ad tech stack,” said Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition chief.

Additional cases against Google include:

• The ongoing case from the DOJ alleging Google uses anticompetitive tactics to maintain the dominant position in online search.
• A lawsuit from Texas argues that Google is running a monopoly that harms ad industry competitors and publishers. One which Google is attempting to get dismissed and says is “full of inaccuracies and lacks legal merit.”
• U.S. senators have proposed a new antitrust bill that could force Google to divest parts of its ad-tech business.
• EU agreed this spring on two new major tech regulations, including one called the Digital Markets Act, that puts new fairness obligations on companies like Google.
• In 2013 Google resolved an FTC investigation by agreeing on changes to it’s practices. Google attempted to do the same in the EU but the EU rejected their offer and filed antitrust charges in 2015.

What Google says. “We have been engaging constructively with regulators to address their concerns. As we’ve said before, we have no plans to sell or exit this business. Rigorous competition in ad technology has made online ads more relevant, reduced fees, and expanded options for publishers and advertisers.”

Regulators are also investigating whether Google is abusing it’s role by representing both advertisers and publishers in online auction exchanges. Google denies the allegations. 

What else is in store for Google. You can read the full article from the Wall Street Journal here.

Why we care. Any moves by Google to restructure parts of its ad-tech business or offer policy changes could disrupt the digital advertising industry. We all make a good living off of Google presently. But if Google gets broken up or changes, our industry will feel it.

Jeff Ferguson, Adjunct Professor, UCLA and CEO, Amplitude Digital adds “Google isn’t anywhere close to a monopoly of the internet advertising business, much less the entire advertising business, and there’s little chance the DOJ can prove actual anti-competitive practices. The only way they’ll ever get Google (or Facebook, by the way) is to rewrite the laws. Google must see something else going on because splitting off this part of the business won’t solve the DOJ concerns.” 

On the other hand, giving rival ad-tech publishers the chance to compete and buy ads on Google owned platforms like YouTube could drive down costs for advertisers, who will have more options and additional ad-buying tools to consider. 

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Google local justifications: Everything you need to know

Written on July 9, 2022 at 5:53 am, by admin

Justifications are snippets of text that Google shows in the local pack to help users “justify” why the business is showing up for their search query.

There are a variety of types of justifications. The type you see highlighted in the local pack varies based on a user’s search query.

This guide will help you understand Google justifications.

Why do Google justifications matter?

While they may not cause rankings, recent research from Moz shows that 57% of local packs feature justifications.

Some listings even show multiple justifications when a listing is expanded.

Types of Google justifications

Website mentions

Pulled directly from content on your website, this type of justification will often show a user the page on your website where the content is being pulled from. It may include a meta description and photo.

Tip: Use these justifications to see what content on your site influenced the ranking for that search phrase, and use when working on strategy for other pages.

Review

Review justifications come from information within Google reviews for a business.

Review justifications can be influenced if reviewers use preferred keywords within their reviews.

Tip: Review justifications are not always positive. Actively managing Google reviews can help brands avoid embarrassing results.

In stock

If a business has activated See What’s in Store, or SWIS, function for their listing, in stock justifications may be displayed.

Tip: This is a third-party function. There are a few platforms that can help you get this feature enabled, like dbaPlatform.

Sold Here

Sold here justifications show a shopper that the product they’re searching for is available for sale at your location.

They’re identified by a checkmark in front of the justification. These justifications cannot be influenced.

Provides

Like “sold here”, these service-based justifications use a checkmark icon in front of the justification. They pull from a brand’s Services in their Google Business Page.

Tip: Be careful about how you word your GBP services to avoid embarrassing results. For example, a plastic surgeon offering a broken nose does not seem very welcoming.

Menu

This is a justification for restaurants. Menu information is pulled from the restaurant’s menu within your Google Business Profile or the menu highlights, and menu items will display in the justification accordingly as a “menu highlight” or “on the menu”.

Tip: Keep your GBP menu information up to date – you never know when a midday craving will bring new business your way!

Post

These justifications pull in keywords from your Google posts and have an exclamation point icon in front of the justification.

Post justifications are updated as new Google posts are published by your brand, but do not just look for exact-match, they also pull related keywords. They can overwrite other justifications and can be influenced by your brand’s Google post content.

Tip: If you’re trying to optimize for post justifications, keep posts to one main topic instead of listing a variety of products or services.

Justifications: What you need to know

Justifications update quickly

We have seen results update nearly in real-time. Joy Hawkins has discovered justifications in search results based on an edit she had made barely minutes earlier.

This is great for correcting suggested edits, attributes that may be blocking justifications, or for changing information in your Google Business Profile.

If something isn’t working, review the above justification types and see if there’s something you can update in order to assist in triggering a new justification for a particular local result.

Justifications do not affect rankings

While website items featured in justifications may have a correlation to ranking, the justifications themselves do not.

If you see a result with a justification, that result was already ranking and now Google is adding more information to support the search result they’ve chosen to provide.

While many people believe that Google posts affect local rankings, testing has found that Google posts do not affect rankings.

Justifications are not a replacement or bandaid for a bad website or Google Business Profile.

Make sure that you’re providing relevant content for your business and your local area, strong onsite SEO, and are following other local SEO best practices.

Website justifications may be one possible exception to this rule.

When users see a “their website mentions” justification, this is likely an indication that Google finds this content to be reputable and relevant to the search query, and is likely relevant to the business ranking for that particular query.

Some justifications can be affected by user-generated content

Obviously, review justifications display content or information provided by users. However, Sold Here justifications do as well.

Google gets information on available inventory from Know this place? push notifications from Google Maps by asking users to answer questions about a local business after a recent visit.

At this time, we have not discovered a way to determine which questions Google will ask a user, only that Google pushes the questions after they’ve determined that a user has recently physically visited the business location.

Devices can cause variations in justifications displayed

Different device and display types will show different justifications.

A desktop result may show a justification when mobile does not, or mobile may show a review when desktop shows menu options.

Why doesn’t your brand show justifications in local search?

Be careful when setting up your Business Profile.

Both “online services” and “online appointment” attributes within a brand’s Google Business Profile will block justifications from showing in the local pack.

Typically, justifications will start showing up within approximately 48 hours of removing the attributes.

Share valuable information with justifications

Justifications are a fantastic way for brands to help share valuable information in the search results.

Map pack real estate is valuable. Take advantage of the potential of Google justifications.

Maximizing your efforts can pay off big.

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Digital marketing ranks in the top 3 hottest skills Americans are learning in 2022

Written on July 6, 2022 at 11:46 pm, by admin

It’s no surprise that the last couple of years have been hard on workers around the world. In the US alone, the “quit rate” reached a 20-year high and came to be known as the Great Resignation. 

Earlier this year we reported another anomaly dubbed the “Great Reshuffle” that saw 618,000 marketers leave their jobs in 2021. A report from LinkedIn predicted that this trend would continue well into 2022 with 24% of marketers looking for a new job, and 62% changing jobs altogether. 

What does the data say. Preply viewed Google Trends data and analyzed 572 keywords representing interest in over 50 different skills relevant to American workers. They found that 35% of the interest was in digital marketing alone. 

LinkedIn noted that there was a 121% YoY increase in remote marketing job share. In the same report, LinkedIn also noted that some of the hottest jobs in demand this year are social media. The increase in digital marketing skills should come as no surprise. Workers are looking to go remote, as COVID protocols continue to change. Digital marketing jobs certainly offer the flexibility and location independence that many workers are searching for. 

Other areas of interest. While digital marketing came in at #2 with 35%, it trailed behind data science at 76%. Other areas of interest were data management (34%), and interpersonal and management (34%). 

Digital marketing hot spots. The report from Preply indicates that most of the interest in these skills comes from urban areas. However, online learning makes it possible for anyone with a solid internet connection to participate, no matter where they are. But the biggest increase in n digital marketing skills come from Arkansas (125%) and Chicago (32%). 

Why we care. Digital marketing isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Even developments in AI and automation aren’t slowing down the need for social media marketers, account managers, and SEO specialists, and more. Marketers had previously looked to relocate to big metropolitan areas such as NYC, LA, and San Francisco. Because of inflation and the increased cost of living, we could see that change soon. Learning additional digital marketing skills helps set up workers to be in demand for the jobs they want and the salaries they deserve.

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Google launches diagnostic insights for Performance Max campaigns

Written on July 6, 2022 at 11:46 pm, by admin

To help advertisers ensure their Performance Max campaigns are set up correctly, Google has launched diagnostic insights. The insights are aimed to help ensure there are no delays or issues causing low engagement or disapproved ads. 

Visibility into potential issues. When a new Performance Max campaign is launched, the diagnostic insights view can automatically identify issues related to:

• Status
• Billing
• Policies
• Conversion tracking
• Budget
• Strategy targets
• Ad strength  

You’ll also be able to view recommendations via the progress bar. 

What Google says. Right now, the insights are only available for Performance Max campaigns, but Google says they plan on rolling out the insights for other campaign types in the next few months. You can read more information and visit the help doc here. 

Why we care. The new insights could be helpful when it comes to ensuring advertisers don’t violate ad policies, and giving helpful visibility into ad strength. But advertisers should be aware that these are insights, and not all suggestions will be required fixes. Insights into budget and strategy are left up to the advertiser and should be manually reviewed and carefully considered before implementation. 

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Google Search Console Insights now supports Google Analytics 4

Written on July 6, 2022 at 11:46 pm, by admin

Google has added support for sites using Google Analytics 4 to show data in Google Search Console Insights. Previously, if you only set up GA4 for your site, Search Console Insights would show you almost no information but now that has changed.

The announcement. Google announced this on Twitter saying “Have a GA4 property but couldn’t use it with Search Console Insights? Now you can! We are rolling out GA4 support, check it out!”

What is Search Console Insights. Search Console Insights is designed specifically for content creators and publishers and “can help them understand how audiences discover their site’s content and what resonates with their audiences,” according to Google. The Search Console Insights reporting is powered by data from both Google Search Console and Google Analytics.

When did it first launch. Google launched a beta of this last year and then opened limited access to some content creators to debug it and give Google feedback on the reports. Back then, Google said, “it’s a way to provide content creators with the data they need to make informed decisions and improve their content.”

Full launch. Google fully launched Search Console Insights in June 2021 and you can all access the Search Console Insights reports at search.google.com/search-console/insights.

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of some of the reports:

Why we care. If you have set up a new site and only used Google Analytics 4, now you can see a lot more data in your Search Console Insights report. Also, with Google doing away with Universal Analytics 3 in about a year from now, this is an important integration Google had to make.

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10 things to consider when hiring a ghostwriter

Written on July 6, 2022 at 11:46 pm, by admin

In marketing, content creation is mandatory. But what if you’re a lean team and can’t afford to spend time developing tons of content?

B2B content Marketers Spend 82% of their time creating content, according to a Casted study.

In addition, 72% of marketers say content marketing increases engagement and the number of leads.

Ghostwriting services are probably your quickest way to get content developed.

I had the opportunity to speak to various experts about certain insights a person or department needs to consider when hiring a ghostwriter or service.

1. Focus on finding individuals who are subject matter experts in your field

Writers you hire need to be proficient in the subject you’re asking them to write about. Finding individuals or a service that can write about your topic, while also know the intricacies is something you seriously consider.

Marty Weintraub, Marketing Lead and Founder of integrated brand and performance marketing organization, Aimclear states that “The writer(s) you hire must be strong enough to lead thinking and your brand. Work either with true subject matter experts or be prepared to hand over research, outlines, images, data, etc. to someone who borders on a subject matter expert. 

No matter how large the firm you hire for ghost writing is, from solo to enterprise, hire a specific person/people, not a company who might assign anybody at any level.”

Andy Betts, Consultant & Advisor Focusing on Content and Media with 15 years’ experience writing and ghostwriting for publications, CEOs and CMOs as a consultant says that “experience with your core audience is one of the keys to ghost-writing and choosing a service is ensuring writers have relevant experience in your industry.”

2. Interview them and ask for writing samples

While experience in a specific industry or industries is important, getting insight into their writing style, ahead of time is equally or more important. Not only interview them but also get samples of the articles they have written. 

Weintraub states,

“Remember, it’s not just about search engine results. If your content looks like everybody else (especially the ghost’s last seven and three current clients) you may rank but readers will not be impressed. Readers are smart and often spot ghosts a mile away. Evaluate their sample work for signs of freshness, heart, voice, technical chops, innovation, and style you would be proud to associate with. Pull out two to three sentences in a row from example posts and search for them.”

You don’t want to hire a ghostwriter who just repurposes or rewrites the same topic or idea over and over. 

3. Pick a solution that has time-saving features

If you decide to go the route of picking a professional content writing solution, then it is important that that tool is powerful and scalable.

When working with the right service when it comes to outsourcing, can help boost your bottom line and expand on how often you publish content. 

“Depending on your project having a ghostwriting service that has robust tools can be very important to produce high-quality content at scale,” said Robin Howard, from Crowd Content. “Tools like layouts, batch uploaders or keyword highlighting can be very helpful when producing a lot of content.”

This is especially where there are nuances and semantics – where one word or phrase can mean different things.

Hire specialists if you need them, as generalist ghostwriters tend to demand too much attention and editing. 

4. It’s not a magic pill

Whether it’s an expert or a solution, one thing you need to come to terms with is that you most likely will have to tweak the content you receive. 

Duane Forrester, VP, Industry Insights at Yext states that “they don’t know what you know. While many will say they have an expertise in your space, but the truth is, they aren’t you, so there will be a gap, which can lead to frustration. Knowing the gap will exist can help mitigate that frustration, though, as it’ll help you communicate better on both sides. Think of ghostwriting as a 75% – 95% solution.”

The good news is that majority of the work is done. Forrester says “You still need to do the work, but it’s vastly different that thinking, planning, writing, editing, rewriting. You do get to skip a bunch of the in-the-middle work.”

Forrester also mentions that what ghostwriters can do is make is in making your material much more readable. They’ll instinctively know how to write for a specific level of audience (101, 201, etc.), and can thread your thoughts into those levels

5. You must act like a project manager

If you’re thinking that you’ll simply hand off some keywords and a few links to inspire the writer and expect to get a great result, think again.

You need to project manage them or make sure the service or solution you’re working with has a PM that works with you.

Forrester states that you should “never just give a list of topics or keywords and expect 500 words on the subject that’ll satisfy you.”

Here’s some ideas Forrester suggests around developing a writing template: 

• Create a framework for the final product
• What the length will be
• Reading level (101 or expert)
• Determine pronoun focus (she v. he in examples, etc.)
• Give insight into style, flow and whether this stands alone, or fits a broader narrative across the site/company

6. Ensure that they can adapt/know your tone, voice, and style 

Speaking of style and flow, Betts suggests you need to ensure they can adapt to different writing styles. Forrester mentions that they need to know they can speak to your product, service, or POV subtly and succinctly. 

It also helps to onboard them, as a direction helps. Nothing is worse than a ghostwriter who does not take advice and goes in their own direction.

You know when you have a successful service when your feedback cycles and editing time goes down

7. Check the writers’ reputation

If you’re seeking writers, then make sure they have the experience you’re looking for.

“If you’re using a ghostwriter, make sure to check his or her reputation as a writer,” said Ron Lieback from ContentMender. “Many should already be publishing across various channels, so a simple online search should show some results.

“Speaking of results, make sure the writer also understands SEO. Even if you’re publishing on Forbes, you can do much better with a bit of SEO thinking versus just writing. “

8. Passion and experience for your vertical

If your ghostwriter is creating a piece about motorcycles, he or she better know the difference between a clutch and a brake lever.

Or if they’re doing a piece about technical SEO, they should know the obvious like indexing and site speed.

A simple call will answer these questions. 

If you’re using a company, make sure the person leading that department is a trusted writer.

Also, we make sure they have passion for their subject matter, which makes writing much easier for them.

“Understand that expertise costs more, but the product is worth it for serious brand building,” Lieback said. “Remember, this writer is representing you, so make sure they have passion and much experience writing in your vertical. 

9. Hire an expert

If you’re unsure about utilizing a web content solution, look within your network.

You may be surprised at the expert individuals you will find who would be glad to develop content for you.

“Consider finding a mature thought leader who recently sold their company and would do it for fun and extra cash,” Weintraub said. “Another option is a highly regarded retiree or near retiree, with nothing to prove. Pay them a lot. It will be worth it.

Another great option is to find professional writers who write for major publications on the topic.

“Sometimes they’re willing to ghost for the money. Mainly, we don’t believe in content farm ghostwriting. If we don’t have bandwidth or a subject matter expert, we advise clients to go top shelf. You get what you pay for,” Weintraub said.

10. Sign an NDA

Having writers sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) should be mandatory.  

“This a must! I make all my clients sign NDAs, and I also make all my ghostwriters sign NDAs,” Lieback said. “I dealt with a few that tried using their ghostwriting as a resume builder – this can ruin a reputation or trust quickly, so make sure to have the client and ghostwriter sign an NDA.”

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