?? The 5 in 5 | Fakes and phoneys: don’t fall foul of the UK’s upcoming bill on bogus reviews

Hey there,

In this week’s The 5 in 5 we’re looking at two instances of what dishonesty and bad actors look like in the marketing landscape, and reflecting on how marketers must be vigilant to risks and threats even while focusing their time and resources on advancing their businesses and creating awesome ad campaigns.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though! We also look at some potentially game-changing photo-editing features for marketers on the go, find out about an upcoming change to Google Ads naming conventions, and check in at Microsoft, where change is afoot for Twitter users in the wake of Musk’s recent appearance at a conference…

This week:

1. We all know anecdotally how harmful fake reviews are—but a Which? report has highlighted the full extent of the problem, which is so severe that Parliament is now tabling legislation to outlaw the practice
2. Advertisers on Meta were hit with unexpected overspends when a bug led to an explosion in CPMs. Meta quickly fixed the problem and issued compensation, but the incident could harm Meta’s reputation just as the company seeks to increase trust in the platform
3. Microsoft users can no longer access their Twitter accounts via Smart Campaigns—and some critics believe the move came in response to Musk’s appearance at recent conference
4. Next month, Google Ads will no longer accept new Google Ads accounts that include a URL in their account name, and advertisers should prepare for the change to ensure a smooth transition of their setup processes
5. Adobe has just launched a suite of incredible AI-powered features, enabling faster, easier, and more precise photo edits than ever—ideal for marketers rushed off their feet but in need of gorgeous and high-quality imagery for their campaigns

?? 1. Fake reviews are thriving, despite crackdowns and legal bans

• UK customer group Which? has reported on the prevailing problem of fake reviews, especially on Facebook, for platforms including Google, Amazon and Trustpilot.
• Groups and pages offer sellers the ability to buy glowing testimonials in bulk for as little as $2 per review. Parliament is now tabling a legal ban on phoney reviews, after Ireland issued a similar bill last year.
• The UK bill will make it illegal to pay someone to write a fake review or offer to submit, commission or facilitate one, or otherwise host a review without having verified its authenticity. The bill has actually been in the planning for several years but has encountered continual delays. But in the meantime, websites like Trustpilot and TripAdvisor have been working to remove fake reviews. In February alone TripAdvisor identified and deleted a staggering 1.3m.
• Online reviews are an integral part of a brand’s social proof, but if you knowingly accept or even commission fake reviews you don’t just delegitimise your business but also nullify the landscape you operate and compete in. So make sure all your reviews are kosher and honestly submitted before accepting them.

?? 2. Meta ad delivery bug causes overspend for Facebook advertisers

• A serious bug in Meta’s ad delivery system caused overspend on a range of accounts for Facebook advertisers.
• Ad buyers reported CPMs up 200–500% compared to the previous day, and other ad sets also exceeded their daily set budgets.
• Meta acknowledged the issue within hours and quickly implemented a fix, while assuring ad partners that credits would be issued to rectify the situation.
• The bug represents a major error for Meta, especially given that the platform has been working to improve trust in and reliance on its ad products in the wake of Apple’s iOS14 update. It remains to be seen whether the incident prompts a widespread scaling back of ad spend.

?? 3. Microsoft drops Twitter from Smart Campaigns

• As of April 25, Microsoft’s Smart Campaigns no longer support Twitter. Users can no longer access their Twitter accounts via the Digital Marketing Center’s social media management tool, nor can they create, schedule, or manage tweets and drafts.
• The move follows Elon Musk’s appearance at a marketing and advertising conference to attract brands back to the platform.
• Microsoft’s decision underscores the need for advertisers to stay informed about industry shifts and adapt to continually evolving digital marketing ecosystems.
• As a marketer who uses Twitter, you may need to get outside the platform to properly track its campaigns. And if Twitter forms a major part of your marketing strategy, keep up to date with the latest developments, and consider how they will impact your advertising efforts on the platform.

?? 4. Google Ads bans URLs in account names from June

• From June this year, marketers will no longer be able to include URLs in their Google Ads account names.
• If a URL is found in the descriptive_name field, the operation will fail and an error will be generated.
• It’s worth noting, however, that the change will apply only to new accounts. Existing Google Ads accounts with URLs in their account names won’t be affected.
• Advertisers should prepare to adhere to Google Ads’ new rule to ensure a smooth account setup process, prevent potential delays in launching campaigns, and foster a more organised and consistent naming convention across the platform.

?? 5. Adobe rolls out new AI tools for Lightroom

• Adobe has launched AI-powered features in its online photo editor Lightroom.
• These include adaptive presets, which enable users to automatically enhance areas of a photo with a single click, and masking, which enables better pixel selection based on the photo’s content.
• The features are now available on Windows, Lightroom for Mac, Lightroom Classic, Lightroom Mobile and Lightroom in a browser.
• If you’re looking for better editing software for your ads and haven’t checked out Lightroom yet, these new AI-powered features could save you a lot of time while helping you achieve more precise customised edits. These enhancements can also be seriously useful for optimising product images as part of stunning and visually engaging marketing campaigns.

If you’d like to find out more about any of the topics in this week’s The 5 in 5, or you want to enhance your performance marketing but don’t know where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us today! You can either reply directly to this email or get in touch via our website.

See you next week!

Thanks,

Megan