Krista Neher

May 02 2018

This month we continue to see the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica “scandal” with Facebook. While Facebook reports that all is well in terms of ad revenue and users, they continue to launch features to secure data and protect themselves from future issues. We also see AI continuing to be a big trend that brands and experimenting with and finally – Mobile, Mobile, Mobile!!! Mobile first is for real. Facebook, Instagram, Google… all the big players are making big plays to optimize mobile experiences. Are you?

We spend hours reviewing articles, posts, and reports to stay up-to-date so you don’t have to. Here are the May 2018 digital marketing news updates to keep you current in performing your job.

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Facebook News Updates

• Social media use is increasing despite privacy issues – While #deletefacebook sounded fun, the reality is that Facebook and other social networks continue to grow. People aren’t leaving the platform and privacy takes a back seat to sharing.
• Facebook requires admins of big Pages to be verified – This only impacts large Pages, but it is another clear step towards transparency for Facebook.
• Facebook allegedly testing AI loyalty tool – This is maybe more gossip at this point, but leaked info shows that Facebook is testing an AI tool that can predict brand loyalty. On the heels of privacy concerns maybe not the smartest move.
• Facebook explains newsfeed algorithm – If you want to understand the algo better, check out this post. The head of Newsfeed points to four factors: 1) Inventory 2) Signals 3) Predictions 4) Relevancy and (not listed but mentioned) is Recency. This isn’t different vs. how we typically explain edgerank – just more context and another way to look at it.
• Facebook expands A/B testing and reporting – If you want to optimize your Facebook ads, it is now easier with the Facebook A/B testing tool. We saw this in our Business Manager, and it makes proper A/B testing a breeze as Facebook controls ad-buy type variables to make testing easier and probably more accurate.
• Facebook continues to push videos – Launching new features for monetizing video for creators while encouraging users to watch.

Twitter News Updates

• Reddit has as many users as Twitter and more engagements – So maybe this isn’t Twitter news… but Reddit is an underutilized platform by marketers. While AMAs (Ask Me Anything) sessions have received some attention, it is often overlooked. Maybe time to check it out?

Snapchat News Updates

• Snapchat lays off 100 people from ad division – Snapchat has never really been able to crack the code on advertising – and this news suggests they maybe never will. Reducing their ad division may suggest a shift in focus – while Snap continues to grow in popularity among teens

LinkedIn News Updates

• LinkedIn ads Gifs to messaging – (Insert vomit gif here)
• LinkedIn study shows B2B marketers prioritize video – Over the last year LinkedIn has S-L-O-W-L-Y been rolling out more and more video features. The news that marketers prefer it should come as no surprise – consumers do also.
• LinkedIn launches filters for videos – These Snapchat-like features make LinkedIn videos more fun and engaging… but do they work for a business audience?

Instagram News Updates

• Vertical Video for Instagram – This isn’t “news” so much as a tip – both Facebook and Instagram are pushing vertical video big time to accommodate mobile viewers. This article will give you some inspiration.
• Instagram launches data download tool – If you want to leave Instagram you can take your data with you with the new download tool.
• Instagram nametags are like QR codes but fun – With nametags a simple scan generates a follow.

Search News Updates

• Google updated search algo in mid-April – Google seems to be taking a more “low-key” approach to algorithm updates. In the past, Google often made major updates to the algorithm and provided guidance around updates and implications. In the past month, Google has stated they are regularly making updates to provide better experiences, so we may over time see a reduction in big, planned updates.
• Google switches to infinite scrolling for mobile – This may increase relevance of lower-ranking results if consumers scroll more vs re-searching. It will be interesting to see studies on this.

Digital Advertising News Updates

• Amazon quietly builds ad revenue – Absent from the Amazon report was their ad business – which is not a small business at over $3B and growing. This may be worth thinking about and watching.
• Google launches Reach Planner for video – This allows brands to better predict reach and frequency for video campaigns to make planning easier.
• YouTube launches TrueView for Reach – YouTube has launched a new skippable ad format for businesses focused on reach. Previously TrueView ads required you to watch to the end but now with the new skippable format they can be used for lower cost reach.
• Facebook updates terms for GDPR (so does everyone else) – If you collect data from Facebook make sure you know the GDPR regulations and how they impact the terms of service.
• TV Ad spend declines as digital grows – This probably surprises nobody.
• Could Augmented Reality (AR) make banner ads more exciting? – Some businesses are looking at ways to use AR to make banners more exciting and relevant.

Industry News and Research

• Google shuts down their URL shortener – If you used Goog.le to shorten links, time to find something else.
• Facebook share of consumer time declining as Google cuts in – Facebook share of time is declining (as was included on their 2017 annual report) – and the big winner of the Facebook decline is Google.
• Google beats expectations with $31B in revenue – While Facebook gets all the attention these days, Google is actually bigger and growing – overtaking Facebook on some key metrics. In Q1 of 2018 Google is booming!
• Snapchat and Instagram are favorite networks of teens – If you want to know where the young people are – they are still on Snapchat. While Facebook is usually the most popular platform for any demographic, Snapchat is preferred by teens, followed by Instagram.

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