- We’ll continue to have less control in ad platforms
- Keywords are on their way out as the core of Google Ads targeting
Sounds like clickbait: an idea so wild it just might work!
The idea is that the US would require Google to make its search index publicly available for anyone to use.Wouldn't this be taking something that belongs to Google, though?Not really. The search index is a collection of keywords and other data from websites created by other people and other companies — not Google.
This would be interesting, and API access could be a revenue stream. But it feels unlikely.
As TikTok and Instagram unseat Google in the realm of local search, I see a realm of possibilities for [things like] Meta Maps and SnapMap.
👀
image via The Verge
Google wanted advertisers to turn everything over to the algorithms with Performance Max, advertisers pushed back and asked for a peek inside the black box. Big G blinked.
Based on your feedback, we’re starting to roll out conversion metrics to Performance Max asset reporting for all advertisers globally to help you understand what’s working well and further optimize your creative.YouTube video placement reporting for Performance Max is now rolling out as well, helping you ensure that your ads appear in brand-suitable places.
Oh yeah, and more AI.
A federal judge ruled that Google violated US antitrust law by maintaining a monopoly in the search and advertising markets.
The advertising portion seems specific to “general search text advertising,” so YouTube shouldn’t be at risk.
We’ll see where this goes, but my guess is Big G won’t be buying default status anymore.
The prospect of losing tens of billions in guaranteed revenue from Google — which presently come at little to no cost to Apple — disincentivizes Apple from launching its own search engine when it otherwise has built the capacity to do so
Google has pulled the plug on pulling the plug on third-party cookies in Chrome.
It seems they couldn’t find a privacy-preserving replacement that would also preserve ad revenue.
Per Google:
we are proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice. Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing
Basically, Chrome will do what iOS started doing in 2021 with the advent of App Tracking Transparency in 14.5.
Cookies have crumbled, but the crumbs are sticking around.
Similar to Google:
Microsoft Ads is rolling out a new feature called “brand lists” for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns.
Brand lists allow advertisers to exclude their ads from appearing alongside specific brands, potentially improving ad relevance and return on ad spend (ROAS).
Can pick up to 20 but sounds like you’re limited to a pre-defined list or requesting additions.
🚨 🪦
Google to kill off URL shortener once and for all
Links shortened with goo.gl will stop working in 2025
You have just over a year to migrate if you’re currently using Google URL Shortener.
via The Register
From MarTech: Steve Ganem, Product Director of Google Analytics, on what’s ahead for GA4
More offline data and more AI
continue to innovate and invest in making it the most effective, holistic and durable analytics solution
Next addition to the Google graveyard: infinite scroll
Google said this change is to serve the search results faster on more searches, instead of automatically loading results that users haven’t explicitly requested. Loading more results automatically didn’t lead to significantly higher satisfaction with Search
More on the Google ranking factors leak & why it shouldn’t distract you from focusing on users.
People have long divorced SEO from user experience, I think the two need to work more closely together. Because ultimately you need someone to come to your page and stay there. That is a signal that Google is using.
-Mike King
Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is search engine optimization (SEO).
Google’s search ranking factors leaked & the SEO world has been doing its best Shark Week impression trying to digest the info and tease out the secrets contained within.
It’s over 14k attributes.
I haven’t dug in yet, but I agree with this approach:
Ultimately, you want to build content that people like. That people want to click on. That people want to consume. That people want to share. That people just want to go back to.
-Barry Schwartz
Content may be distributed by algorithm, but it shouldn’t be created for them.
On Brand: Authenticity & Personality
Blake Droesch on the type of brand that won’t be disrupted by AI And other technologies (~25:21):
The authentic brand is the one that is going to stand out. That was true yesterday, it’s true today, and it will be true in the years to come.
& Bill Fisher (~25:40):
Every brand’s going to have a core audience. And you need to speak to that audience in a relatable way. That’s what your brand personality is—or should be.
& Carina Perkins (~26:40):
Brands can’t really get away with false personalities anymore. Is that personality really reflecting their business and values? And everything they do, rather than just what they say?
Plus some solid branding advice from Dropout (formerly CollegeHumor):
It’s like I always say, if you’re going to use two brand names, just use one.
Google is emailing advertisers to notify them it will soon begin automatically pausing low-activity keywords.
According to the email, positive keywords in search ad campaigns will be considered low-activity if they haven’t generated impressions in over a year.
This should make account manager easier and cleaner.
But I think it’s also a low-key signal that:
And yes, this is mostly thanks to AI.
“Running with scissors is a cardio exercise that can increase your heart rate and require concentration and focus,” says Google’s new AI search feature. “Some say it can also improve your pores and give you strength.”
…
Google suggested that if you’re making pizza but the cheese won’t stick, you could add about an eighth of a cup of glue to the sauce to “give it more tackiness.”
At its core, AI is only as good as its training data. Why would we expect any different from a model that averages the internet?
It is only superhuman when it comes to speed.
via TechCrunch
Google Marketing Live continued a recent trend for Google Ads, making it more and more like social ad platforms as far as creation flow and targeting.
Social marketers will inherit the earth?
Which means, your creative is the most important part of your ad strategy.
While Google is Meta-fying its ad platform as fast as it can, Zuck+Co might be returning the favor.
Site links in your social feed!
The site links feature enables you to add multiple landing pages to your ads. Ads created without the site link feature can only include one primary landing page. The site links will appear as horizontally scrollable display labels under the main hero image or video. When someone clicks on one of the site links on your ad, they’ll be redirected to its designated landing page within the in-app browser to learn more about your business.
via Meta
it’s teaming up with OpenAI to add the startup’s technology to iOS 18, the next version of the iPhone’s software
Sounds like OpenAI won the gig (Google always felt like a weird choice based on platform competition and default search payola scrutiny).
Now Apple gets to enter the consumer AI fray and establish a connection with its hardware platform while continuing to develop its edge differentiation and outsourcing hallucinatory reputational risk to someone else.