∞

Audio always

I think in-store radio is a place where we’re seeing retailers start to play, I think because consumers are already primed to listen to things in the store, whether it be music or announcements, it’s kind of a low-stakes environment to start testing different ads and promotions.

via eMarketer

∞

In response to the Search Engine Land piece about Google Ad Strength that I responded to, Google says Ad Strength is not used in the auction.

But!

Ad Strength looks at 4 categories that have been identified to result in better performance through regression analyses.

For example, a low Ad Strength could explain a lack of impressions, but low Ad Strength doesn’t prevent ads from entering into auctions.

It’s a feedback mechanism for creative content and meant to be used as a helpful guide to improve the effectiveness of your ads. Again, it isn’t used directly in the auction.

∞

Followers are dead.

From the head of Instagram:

I understand why people focus so much on follower counts; they’re prominent and they’re easy to find. But if you actually want to get a sense for how relevant an account is, look at their how many likes they get per post and how many views per reel instead.

The Age of Attention is here. This will be the metric of 2024.

via Search Engine Land

∞

Meta disclosed Instagram ad revenue as part of the antitrust process.

Instagram earned:

  • $11.3 billion in ad revenue in 2018
  • $17.9 billion in 2019
  • $22 billion in 2020
  • $32.4 billion in 2021

The filing also notes that IG earned $16.5 billion in ad revenue in the first half of 2022, putting it on track to earn more than $33 billion for that year (based on higher holiday spend).

As reported by Bloomberg, the data suggests that Instagram generated around 30% of Meta’s total revenue in 2022. Which, if you were to extrapolate that into last year’s numbers, would suggest that IG brought in around $40 billion in ad revenue in 2023.

Printing money.

Maybe that’s why TikTok wants to clone it.

via Social Media Today

∞

Google Ad Strength: Garbage or Nah?

PPC experts are saying Google’s Ad Strength metric is garbage.

Google says:

Ad Strength is at the centre of what we’re trying to do is because creative is going to be incredibly important, and Ad Strength is going to be the mechanism which we use to evaluate that both in Performance Max and channels like search.

Kraham went on to explain that Ad Strength assesses the breadth and depth of assets within a campaign before assigning a rating. According to Google, breadth and depth of assets is crucial for reaching users across various channels, including SERPs, video display, and other creative opportunities. Google prioritizes breadth and depth of assets as it ensures campaigns are well-equipped to engage users effectively across different platforms and formats.

Putting on my assumption hat (👒), the quality of your creative determines your results. The quantity (“breadth and depth”) determines your reach (amplification, as I like to think of it).

The easier you make it for Google to place your ad in all the placement options they have, the more likely they are to choose your ad in the auction (many other algorithmic signals being equal). That means maxing out the:

  • 15 images
  • 5 logos (5?!)
  • 5 videos (make sure you have vertical!)
  • 5 headlines
  • 5 long headlines
  • 1 short description
  • 4 long descriptions

(ad specs if you need them)

Part of our job as digital marketers is to be algorithm wranglers, feeding the robots.

———

No matter what you think about Ad Strength, heed this advice:

one of things you need to be aware of is Google’s recommendations are not necessarily the best things for your account

These recommendations are not personalized for your account. And are typically based on Very Large Accounts.

via Search Engine Land