Yellow is out, green is in for text ads in Google search results.
In April, Google tested using green ‘’Ad’’ labels instead of the usual yellow ones next to text ads in Google search results in many countries.
After positive feedback, Google has decided to roll out the green labels on a global scale.
According to Google, 61% of internet users and over 80% of millennials start shopping on one device but complete their purchase on another device.
Behaviour like this encouraged Google to introduce cross-device conversions three years ago. They did so in order to track these customers as they go from device to device during the sales process.
These cross-device conversions have been a huge success so as of August 2016, it’s now added by default to all new AdWords accounts.
For those with existing AdWords accounts, this change will be rolled out from September 6th, but the change can be manually added until then.
Google AdWords will soon retire Converted Clicks, with Conversions becoming the default way to measure valuable actions for your business. Conversions are capable of measuring behaviour that spans multiple conversions events or multiple clicks.
Those that depend on Converted Clicks for reporting or bidding, will have until September 21st to update the metrics.
If you’re automating your bidding based on Converted Clicks, Google have put together a simple migration tool which will be emailed to affected accounts.
It’s almost never a good idea to search for medical symptoms online, but Google is making a change which will make the process less worrying.
A new update to Google’s Mobile App offers users direct answers to the symptoms searched. With this update, results display a knowledge graph which features related conditions, symptoms, diagnosis, self-treatment, and even when to see a doctor.
A new Google Search Console report allows users to quickly compare data from two different search queries, web pages, countries, search types, devices, and specific date ranges.
To use this report,
AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) are a Google backed project intended as an open source for any publisher to create mobile optimized content once and have it load instantly everywhere. Google’s AMPs have introduced a number of new updates.
At the SMX Advanced Local Workshop, Google announced that ads would now be included within the local 3-pack.
This means the local 3-pack will become a 2-pack, with the third spot going to a paid advertisement.
A change like this means local search ranking will be tougher and more competitive. Instead of battling for clicks and traffic from the top 3 positions, businesses will have to compete to be in the top 2, to get those straight from the search results page.
Google will allow users to edit Maps locations on both the Maps App for Android and Google mobile search on both iOS and Android.
In a range of new features, users will be able to add missing places and edit existing businesses or landmark information worldwide. This information isn’t limited to business hours or the address. Users can add details like whether a place offers outdoor seating or whether it accommodates for fussy eaters.
This update also allows users to approve suggestions by others, thereby reducing the amount of time it takes for edits to appear on the map.
In a recent press release, Facebook stated that its top priority is keeping users connected to the people, places and things they want to be connected to, and the recent update to the News Feed algorithm aims to do just that.
So in the coming weeks, the News Feed will undergo changes so that the things posted by the friends you care about are higher up in the News Feed
Twitter has launched a new app, Dashboard, to help small businesses. The new Dashboard service is available on both the web and mobile and it is aimed at helping businesses connect with their customers. There is a range of tools on offer such as customised feed of tweets, tools to schedule posts, suggestions on what to tweet, analytics and more.
Dashboard is targeted towards brands and businesses who want to have more power and control over their content but don’t want to spend money on expensive tools to do so.
Snapchat’s selling point has always been the instant nature of it – videos and images appearing for a few seconds before they disappear for good. The Story feature was then introduced which gave content posted there a shelf life of twenty-four hours.
Now, Snapchat has introduced Memories. Users will be able to save photos and videos they would like to keep. Memories also enables them to re-share old Snaps and Stories.
This update is a huge game-changer. Social media has offered a way for users to create semi-public albums of photos, and streams of status updates. Snapchat is offering a searchable archive of Stories that users have lived through.
Video is becoming increasingly popular. Twitter noted this and announced that users can post video tweets up to 140 seconds. Previously, Twitter supported videos of 30 seconds or shorter.
These changes are designed to make it easier to engage users with video.
TDS Mick Wallace and Clare Daly are among a group of people who have launched a whistleblowing website: Namaleaks. The site will allow people to securely and anonymously deliver information relating to unfair treatment by Nama or by any investment fund operating within Ireland. Read full story below.
http://www.thejournal.ie/namaleaks-2929561-Aug2016/
Crunch Network Contributor, Samuel Scott discusses how Google Analytics has changed the face of marketing. He writes: ‘’Marketers in the high-tech world who use phrases such as ‘’social media marketing,’’ ‘’Facebook marketing’’ and ‘’content marketing’’ do not understand the basic difference between marketing strategies, marketing channels and marketing content. And Google Analytics is to blame. Read full story below.
https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/07/how-google-analytics-ruined-marketing/
Search Engine Land’s Columnist, Greg Gifford shares his advice on how to write great copy for local SEO. He discusses the biggest problems with local SEO such as companies producing the same boring content that every other website publishes. He then provides tips on producing great content that works with local SEO such as reading what you wrote out loud. Read full story below:
http://searchengineland.com/secret-writing-awesome-local-content-255234
Friday August 5th 2016, the Foundry, 08:00-09:00
Topic: An introduction to Audience Advertising.
The session is aimed at those who are completely new to audience advertising with Google.
Over the 50 minute sessions, experts will address
What is audience advertising? Why is this important for my business? How can I get started with audience advertising?