Digital Debrief | April 2023

Welcome to the April edition of the Digital Debrief. Today I am writing to you from sunny Las Vegas and the Snappy Kraken #JoltConference!

April has been an eventful month with major highlights being the launch of generative AI tools by ad platforms. Advertisers can now create more engaging and effective ads using machine learning technology, which generates ad variations based on a business's assets and goals. In this issue, we’ll also cover social platforms using machine learning to improve their algorithms, resulting in better search results, more personalized content, and increased engagement for users. Other highlights include Twitter’s end of legacy blue check marks, which caused controversy and confusion among users, and major updates to Instagram profile links and Reels. ?

LinkedIn: ?

New algorithmically suggested posts ?

LinkedIn is introducing suggested posts based on user behavior to boost engagement. The posts will appear in the "My Network" tab. LinkedIn is also testing the option for users to follow hashtags to see more content related to their interests.?

Updates to Audience Network campaigns ?

Updates rolled out last month and include new ad formats and placements, improved targeting options, and custom audience creation based on website retargeting. The changes are designed to help advertisers reach a wider audience and improve ad performance.?

New ID confirmation elements ?

Amid rising identity theft, scam, and bot concerns, LinkedIn has added new options to confirm and validate your profile. Users may be prompted to confirm their identity by providing additional information such as their phone number, work email address, or photo ID. These new measures aim to prevent unauthorized account access and increase overall platform security. The new identity confirmation process may be triggered in certain situations, such as when LinkedIn detects unusual account activity or when a user attempts to change their account information.?

New profile buttons for Premium members ?

LinkedIn Premium members now have the option to add a call-to-action button to their profiles. The customizable buttons allow Premium members to add a personalized message and link to their profile, making it easier for others to connect with them.?

Twitter?

Verified Account description updates make it harder to tell who’s paying and who isn’t ?

Twitter has updated the description on its verified accounts to prevent users from including information that could mislead others. The update removes the option for verified users to include a "verified" badge or misleading descriptions such as "not to be confused with," which could create confusion among users. Twitter's updated policy requires that verified users provide a clear and accurate description of who they are and what they do. The change is part of Twitter's ongoing efforts to prevent misinformation and promote transparency on its platform.?

Twitter Blue users see 50%?ads ?

Twitter has implemented a new incentive for Twitter Blue subscribers, offering a 50% reduction in the number of ads these users see in their feed. Twitter Blue was launched last year and offers users a range of exclusive features, including the ability to undo tweets and access to a dedicated customer support team.?

Goodbye legacy checkmarks ?

Twitter has confirmed the removal of verified badges (checkmarks) from accounts that no longer meet the company's updated verification criteria. This move is part of Twitter's efforts to improve the verification system and to address user confusion about the meaning of the badge. Twitter is also planning to introduce new verification categories in the future. Users who have lost their verified badge can reapply for it once they meet the updated criteria.?

Pinterest?

New advertising partnerships for online shopping?

Pinterest has announced partnerships with third-party advertising placement companies, starting with Amazon Ads. The partnerships aim to expand ad offerings for businesses, simplify ad buying process, and maximize ad reach and impact on the platform.?

Snapchat ?

Snap partner summit unveils new features and lots of AI?

Snapchat held its annual Partner Summit, announcing a range of new features and updates for the platform. These include new AR experiences, enhanced e-commerce capabilities, and improvements to Snap Map and the Discover tab. Snapchat also revealed plans to expand its offerings for creators, including new monetization options and tools to help creators manage their content. ?

My AI chatbot receives a flood of negative feedback ?

Snapchat's recent update to its "My AI" feature, which uses artificial intelligence to generate personalized Bitmoji cartoons, has received a flood of negative reviews from users. Many users have criticized the feature for producing inaccurate or offensive depictions of their appearance and cultural identity. Some have also raised concerns about the potential misuse of personal data by the feature.?

New ad formats are coming?

Snap previewed several new ad opportunities for businesses including "First Commercial" ads, which allow advertisers to reach audiences before any other content, and "Local Lenses" that provide businesses with a way to create and distribute AR lenses to specific geographic locations. Snapchat also unveiled new measurement and analytics tools to help businesses track the effectiveness of their ads.?

Facebook / Meta?

New generative AI ad tools

Meta (formerly Facebook) has previewed new generative AI ad tools that use machine learning to automatically create ad variations based on a few input parameters. These tools, called "Dynamic Ads," are designed to help businesses save time and resources by automatically generating ads for different audience segments. Dynamic Ads also allow advertisers to provide customized product recommendations to users based on their previous behavior and preferences.?

Check your receipts ?

Facebook's ad system experienced an error that caused many advertisers to overspend on their campaigns. The error caused the ad system to underreport the number of clicks and other engagement metrics, leading many advertisers to believe that their campaigns were not performing well. As a result, some advertisers increased their spending on the campaigns, leading to significant overspending.?

Instagram: ?

Reels users get new analytics + creation flows?

Instagram has launched new analytics and creation flow features for Reels, its short-form video feature. The new analytics tools allow creators and businesses to track the performance of their Reels and better understand their audience. The new creation flow features include updated video editing tools and the ability to save drafts of Reels for later editing and publishing. These updates are part of Instagram's efforts to compete with TikTok and to provide more opportunities for creators and businesses to engage with its user base.?

5 links ???

Instagram has expanded the number of clickable links allowed in a user's profile bio from one to five. This update provides users with more opportunities to direct their followers to other websites or content outside of Instagram. The clickable links can be added and edited through Instagram's "Edit Profile" section.?

Search Engines ?

A new Google? ?

Google is developing a new search engine called "Google3" in addition to working on new search features under its Project Magi initiative. The new search engine is expected to have a more modern architecture and be more user-friendly than its predecessor.?

Reviews update is here ?

Google has completed the rollout of its April 2023 Reviews update, which aimed to improve the quality and relevance of reviews displayed in search results. The update included changes to Google's review ranking system and its policies on review solicitation and gating.?

Generated AI is coming to Google Ads ?

Google has integrated generative AI technology into its ad campaigns to help businesses create more engaging and effective ads. The new tool, called "Ads Creative Studio," uses machine learning to generate ad variations based on a business's assets and goals, such as driving website traffic or increasing conversions.?