Digital is constantly changing and August 2020 saw some noticeable marketing updates. This post contains brief updates and marketing news for all channels.
News
This test was mentioned on the @MarketingOClock podcast. While I have not been able to replicate it, a few other PPC managers have. It will be interesting how this impacts Google Shopping campaigns and the user experience.
In June, Google announced some changes coming to targeting. Google said "in an effort to improve inclusivity for users disproportionately affected by societal biases; housing, employment, and credit products or services can no longer be targeted to audiences based on gender, age, parental status, marital status, or ZIP code." This change received an official ETA last month: October 19,2020. This change will only impact the US & Canada, and will impact advertising for the following products/services:
Housing: Housing listing sites, individual houses for sale or rental, real estate services
Employment: Ads for jobs, job recruitment sites, job listing sites
Credit: Credit cards, loans including home loans, car loans, appliance loans, short-term loans
Ensuring your account is secure is a big priority for advertisers, and this starts with assigning users the correct account role. To help advertisers, Google is introducing two new access levels:
Billing-only role: This role will make it easier to grant billing permissions to certain people (your stakeholders in the finance department). These users will have the ability to view and manage billing, but will not be able to view or edit Google Ads campaigns.
Account ownership: Previously known administrative ownership, this new level extends the normal permission of manager accounts. In the past, an account was able to have multiple owners. Now, the ownership role will allow only one manager account to have ownership of a Google Ads account. This update paves the way for more advanced manager account features in the future.
Performance Planner helps advertisers predict performance with metrics based on different spend and ROAS levels. To help advertisers more, Google is introducing three new features:
Shared Budgets: Advertisers can create, modify, and download forecasts for shared budget campaigns.
Share Performance Plans: To make it easier for advertisers to collaborate with their team on budget decisions and performance plans, advertisers can now share their performance plans for viewing and editing.
Conversion Delay: If you work in B2B, travel or any other industry where conversions take longer than seven day reports. Planner can now account for this conversion delay, helping advertisers create more accurate forecasts.
Advertisers are now eligible to create audience campaigns and advertise on the Microsoft Audience Network. This will give advertisers Microsoft's deep understanding of customers and proprietary AI to place Microsoft Audience Ads on Microsoft properties and other premium platforms.
With this, come two new ways to target audiences:
Dynamic remarketing lists: Remarketing lists for feed-based campaigns. Learn more about dynamic remarketing here.
LinkedIn profile targeting: This targeting is exclusive to Microsoft Advertising. Target customers based on the company, industry, and job function listed in their LinkedIn profiles. Learn more about LinkedIn profile targeting here.
In a pandemic, many businesses are unable to take advantage of Facebook’s Events feature. To help businesses, Facebook has pivoted its Events pages to help businesses host online events.
Business owners will be able to set a ticket price, promote their online events, collect payments, and host the digital event. So far, trial paid events have included trivia, fitness courses and lectures.
As of right now, Facebook is not collecting fees for any tickets sold on Android devices or on the web —which is a significantly different approach than other online ticketing platforms. If this takes off on Facebook, it could spell trouble for many platforms.
However, Apple and iOS devices are proving to be a different case. For purchases made from an iPhone app, businesses will only be able to collect 70% of their ticket sales due to Apple’s 30% App Store tax. This just gives your friend with an Android one more reason to remind you why you should totally switch from iPhone to Android. Ya know, in case they haven’t already given you 300 billion reasons that you completely did not listen to.
The new feature launched in 20 countries to start and you can check if you qualify for access here.
Facebook has recently removed just over 1,000 of their previously existing targeting options.
While this may seem like a strange move for a platform that is constantly touting its targeting capabilities, Facebook anticipates this change having a minimal impact on advertisers. The targeting features that are being removed are either not used frequently or have similar targeting options already in place.
While most campaigns should be fine from this change, keep an eye on performance over the next few weeks to ensure your campaigns are not impacted by this new change.
This summer, Facebook dropped $100 million in grants in support of Black-owned businesses and creators. To continue its commitment to diversity, Facebook is introducing new Diverse Business labels for Business Pages.
This new self-applied label will allow Businesses to identify as Black-owned, but some other diversity categories are available as well (such as women-owned, veteran-owned, LGBTQ-owned, disability-owned). This will help users find businesses more easily when using the Businesses Nearby feature. This is very similar to features already rolled out by Google My Business.
This designation won’t appear on a business’ Facebook Page, or be associated with the Admin. Page Admins can skip this optional tag, or edit or remove diversity information at any time.
The Diversity Categories feature is being gradually rolled out.
The Facebook Portal is very near and dear to my heart. After moving to Ireland and not being able to visit home due to COVID-19, the Portal I gave my Grandparents last Christmas has allowed me to continue having my Sunday coffee and chats with them.
Facebook is hoping to make Portal near and dear to the heart of the business community as well. Facebook previously introduced Workplace for Portal to help businesses video conference and facilitate meetings.
With remote work further cementing itself as the new normal, it's not surprising that Facebook is interested in showcasing Portal's abilities and expanding the available apps. To further build on Portal’s new corporate applications, Facebook is bringing in a new suite of business focused video conferencing apps -- including Webex, Zoom, BlueJeans, and GoToMeeting. These new apps will be available on most Portal devices, with Portal TV still in the works.
For apps with whiteboard applications, users will be able to draw right on the Portal screen with their fingers.
A redesign for Facebook’s Ad Preferences settings is rolling out over the next few months.
This revamp will offer greater transparency and control for users.
Users can change what information is shared with advertisers, or which advertisers they’d prefer to hide all together.
The Educator Hub is a free, online resource aimed to help teachers, parents and students.
It includes the following resources:
Anti-racism resources
Self-care strategies and mental health resources (very important during a global pandemic)
“Get Digital,” (a digital literacy program that includes lesson plans, online conversation starters, and online activities for students)
Group-focused options, including the option to start or find a group of like-minded teachers, students, or parents
Remember in the good old days, when MTV played music videos? Do I miss those days? Yes, but MTV has come out with some QUALITY TV. From Date my Mom to Jersey Shore, MTV has been serving up hits, while moving very far away from the music hits that got it started.
Facebook is ready to be the next MTV. In the U.S., users will now find a "Music" button under Facebook Watch. Music videos released on the platform will officially live under this tab.
Facebook has some very big plans for this new feature -- including some global music video premieres. Artists, who I do not know, but are probably very good, (listen, I’m old and very much hooked on my Murder podcasts) will be dropping exclusive premieres on Facebook.
Users can explore music videos by artist, genre or mood, and themed playlists will be available as well.
Some artists are planning Facebook Live events in the lead up to dropping their videos, and sharing countdown and music stickers in Stories and fan Groups. Artist Pages will now feature links to these official music videos as well.
Users will be able to comment, react and share the videos across the Platform.
The reckoning has come. You may be asking yourself “which reckoning?” -- which is a fair question, considering we have so many to choose from right now. This reckoning is in regards to the Facebook messaging merge.
Last year, Facebook announced its plans to combine Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct Messages and WhatsApp into one messaging platform. This transition began last month with Messenger taking over Instagram’s private messaging for some users.
With this change, the Instagram's messaging icon will now be the same as Messenger's. The part that I am looking forward to, is that the merger will allow for cross-communication between Instagram and Facebook users, and allow for emoji reactions and swipe-to-reply abilities.
No ETA has been given for when changes will be coming to WhatsApp.
To help voters get ready for November, Facebook has launched a 2020 US Election Voting Information Center.
The 2020 U.S. Election Voting Information Center will provide up-to-date information and official government resources to help Americans prepare for the Presidential Election this November. It’s available on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
The Center will provide users with everything they need to know for registering to vote, as well as include a tool for users to sign up as poll workers.
An additional new feature is Facebook’s Voting Alert, which will help both state and local election authorities reach voters with updates as election day approaches (only government pages are eligible for this system).
Live in the US? Or a US citizen living abroad? Facebook (and myself) are begging you to get registered, vote and make your voice heard this November.
Instagram is ready to compete with TikTok with the introduction of Instagram Reels. Reels has already been rolled out to 50 different regions.
Reels will allow users to create short, fifteen-second long videos set to background music.
So. It is Tiktok, just with Facebook’s powerhouse behind it.
As concerns grow around TikTok security issues and could face a potential ban in the US, Instagram Reels could gain some reel traction.
Listen. It’s late, I have wine and I’m trying to bring you updates in a more fun way. This fun way includes puns sometimes. #sorrynotsorry
Pinterest has continued to work on improving its platform to be more inclusive. Last month, Pinterest announced updates to skin tone ranges, and the addition of new brands to virtually shop for through AR try on. These updates will make it easier for users to discover more products, as well as offer tutorials personalised to individual skin tone, style, and preference.
Skin tone ranges will be available in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
To celebrate National Black Business Month, Pinterest launched a brand new Pinterest Shop collection featuring 20+ Black-owned fashion and beauty businesses with 600+ products. Pinterest is making it easier for users to find and engage with these brands.
Did you see any interesting updates for online advertising or social media in August 2020? Share them below in the comments!
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