Google

Sep 30, 2023 ∞

Google is on trial.

AI will reinvent search behavior.

Social is closing off, going private, and decentralizing (yeah, confusing).

Cookies will be naught but crumbs.

Apple is still trying to build an ad empire.

The digital ad duopoly has already been disrupted. Looking like that was just the start.

Sep 28, 2023 ∞

Here’s a fun attack vector

In practice, this means that bad actors are identifying websites that have an internal search function and are seen as trustworthy by Google — such as government, educational, and media websites — and putting in searches for things like “buy cocaine,” along with Telegram handles or a website address.

A change to Google’s indexing means your site search may be used as a webpage generator by bad actors. 🙃

Remember, drugs are sold in gas stations and fentanyl is in everything

Sep 28, 2023 ∞

Facebook can be sued over allegations that its advertising algorithm is discriminatory

This has already happened in verticals like housing and credit. The number of “special categories” might grow after this. How will this impact the Advantage push?

“Facebook does not merely proliferate and disseminate content as a publisher … it creates, shapes, or develops content” with the tools.

Big Tech is already on trial (Amazon, Google). AI is putting algorithms front-and-center. Section 230 has been targeted before.

This Meta ruling will just be the first of many, which means digital ad targeting is about to be overhauled. Is this the future?

Sep 25, 2023 ∞

The era of subsidizing subscriber numbers in a free money, growth-before-everything-else market is over. Streaming TV is is now cable and it will be ad-supported (but you can pay your way out of ads).

Amazon aims to show ‘meaningfully fewer ads’ than traditional TV or rival streaming platforms. An ad-free option will be available for an additional $2.99 per month.

TV has been fully unbundled. Which means it’s time to start bundling again.

I put Amazon, Apple, Google, and Roku at the front of the pack of potential bundlers due to saturation and having existing streaming hardware platforms.

Sep 22, 2023 ∞

Remember that Apple announcement about removing link tracking in Safari (private browsing plus iMessage and Mail)?

It’s here!

It impacts:

HubSpot
Drip
Google Ads
Google Display Ads
Instagram Ads
MailChimp
Adobe Marketo
Microsoft Ads
Twitter
Yandex
& more!

UTMs survive.