The latest on Google's June 2019 core update, Instagram's Paid Partnerships, the rise in digital ad fraud, junk food ads aimed at children banned, Google faces DOJ investigation

The big news this week is the rollout of Google's latest core algorithm update, which started on June 3rd and (as of today) is still ongoing. We've taken a look at what the industry knows about the effects so far. In good news for brands who work with influencers, Instagram is making it easier than ever to use their content. The social media platform has announced a new tool that could benefit both influencers and brands. A new report has suggested that ad fraud could result in costs of up to $30 billion this year, which will likely be put on the shoulders of smaller companies. The ASA has announced that eight well-known food brands had ads banned from Google after they were shown alongside content…

A record-breaking year for digital advertising as mobile and video dominate revenue in the US

The IAB’s internet advertising revenue report is a survey commissioned by the IAB and conducted independently by PricewaterhouseCoopers. It’s released in full twice a year and provides an overview of digital revenue performance and the influencing factors. Although this report is from the US, many of the trends provide a strong indication of the direction digital advertising is taking in other western countries, including the UK. The 2018 report has revealed some interesting insights, most notably in relation to desktop vs. mobile, formats and market share by media. [si_guide_block id="98899" title="Download our Individual Member Resource – Paid media and digital advertising playbook" description="This paid media planning guide will provide marketers with a structured approach to paid media planning to help exploit these opportunities while managing the risks."/] The report contains a lot of information so…

In digital marketing, saved hours can mean major revenue potential - as that time can be dedicated to other projects

Don’t we all wish that we had just a few more hours in the day to get everything done? When it comes to business, nearly every department is looking for ways to improve their team’s productivity. Thanks to modern technology and the development of AI, automation is now more popular than ever, saving many businesses up to 360 hours a year and $4 million annually. In digital marketing, those saved hours can mean major revenue potential - as that time can be dedicated to other projects. However, many people think that time-saving tools equal AI-assisted automation. While automated programs can certainly shave hours off work, there are unfortunately still many roadblocks that stand in the way of businesses fully adopting AI in the marketing department. [si_guide_block id="79375" title="Download our Individual…

Good market research ensures that your site is optimized for the best customer experience while also helping you make sales

With growing competition, SEO is not the same as it used to be. Nowadays, it is critical for a business to strategically think about its customers and identify what they want. Thereafter, it is essential to prepare content that completely aligns with the existing demands of the customers.

Why market research is essential for SEO?

SEO is all about optimizing your website to better meet the needs of your customers, with improved rankings coming from doing so. Market research helps you to understand the exact needs of your customers so you're able to address them. If you are able to identify what your customers want from you then you can target the best keywords and write relevant content that genuinely helps your prospects. [si_guide_block id="132996" title="Download our Individual Member Resource…

Our dramatic instincts can affect our ability to make effective decisions

Hans Rosling is perhaps best known for his ground-breaking TED Talk "The best statistics you’ve ever seen'. Using innovative graphics, unique insights and humour, Hans brought to life little known facts about the developing world that no one had seen before. In 2017, Hans decided to write a book called Factfulness. The primary objective of the book was to realize Hans’s lifelong mission of fighting devastating global ignorance and make an impact on the world: to change people’s ways of thinking, calm their irrational fears and redirect their energies into constructive activities. In 2018, halfway through writing the book, Hans sadly passed away and Ola, his son, and daughter-in-law Anna,…

What are the benefits of enrolling in digital marketers’ negotiation classes?

Digital marketing is a pivotal driving force of modern business. Digital marketers play a key role in facilitating interactions between companies and their clients. With the growing reach of digital marketing services, marketers find they have to engage in multiple negotiations to achieve optimal results. [si_guide_block id="5605" title="Download our Individual Member Resource – Digital marketing strategy guide" description="Discover how our digital marketing strategy guide will help you to succeed quickly and more easily — so whatever industry sector you work in, you’ll know how to prioritize to define your initiatives for success."/] Digital marketers who have attended the best negotiation classes can leverage their training to create win-win solutions with their clients. If you are a digital marketer, here are eight powerful reasons why you need to master negotiation skills.

To claim value

Have you ever heard the phrase "giving…

This A/B test delivered 122% more email addresses, worth £10 million

You wouldn’t ask lawyers to design the user experience of your website. Yet in post-GDPR life, this is happening. One of our clients, a famous multinational, saw a significant reduction in marketing opt-ins since the lawyer-shaped GDPR redesign went live. They ended up with something like this: At face value, pretty standard. After all, consumers know exactly how this works by now. If you like the brand and want to “keep in touch”, just tick the box. There’s even a choice of contact options. Ostensibly, the user is in control. [si_guide_block id="99357" title="GDPR and ePrivacy briefing for marketing professionals" description="Learn all about how GDPR and ePrivacy legislation affects your business and how you both gather and handle customer data Don't be caught out - just one mistake could prove to be a costly one!"] However, just…

Google search results update, LinkedIn's ad tab, Instagram data breach, digital ad complaint increase and Pinterest does Pride Month

This week has seen a few interesting announcements, including the fact that Google is updating how its search results look, impacting the way paid results are showcased. LinkedIn has announced that it is aiming to improve transparency with a new ad tab for company pages while Facebook is investigating a possible Instagram data breach. On top of this, the ASA has released data on advert complaints, showing that complaints about digital ads now outpace those about TV adverts. Finally, Pinterest has revealed some interesting data around Pride Month, as well as some new features to help celebrate it. Find out more about these stories with our latest news roundup.  

Google updates mobile search results

Google is updating the way its search listings look,…

Rather than stubbornly sticking with broad strategies aimed at increasing general awareness, marketers can make an impact by embracing a targeted approach via 'relevant awareness'

More than 40 brands purchased and ran national television spots that aired during the 2019 Super Bowl. Each advertiser paid at least $5 million per spot - not accounting for the costs associated with producing and shooting a major TV commercial. What made that investment worthwhile? Well, the ads reached more than 114 million viewers that night. That's certainly impressive on the surface. [si_guide_block id="116673" title="Download our Business Resource – Measuring and reporting on client campaigns" description="This guide gives you a checklist to help you deliver great campaign reporting and build your ability to optimize campaigns for clients."/] Those eyeballs are great, but a study by Genesis Media found that 90% of consumers are unlikely to buy something associated with a Super Bowl…

Google's new auction model for ads, Facebook tightening up Live rules, YouTube introduces new ad format, LinkedIn adding and updating job search tools and Twitter's anti-vax warning

There are a number of platform changes that you need to know about this week, including Google's update on what its first-price auction model will look like for Google Ads Manager and its publisher exchange. Facebook has changed its rules around Live following the issues it experienced during and after the Christchurch terrorist attacks. Aiming to be stricter and reduce the spread of harmful content, the platform has tightened up its regulations. YouTube is making it easier for brands to advertise via its home feed by introducing ads that use images rather than videos. LinkedIn has also made some great changes to help make it easier for those using the platform to job search or recruit. Finally, Twitter has introduced a new result for anyone searching for anti-vax-related…