Paid Ads Highlights February 12 - 18
Hey! Welcome to our latest newsletter, a curated blend of the latest news in digital marketing, coupled with insights from top thought leaders on LinkedIn.
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WHAT'S NEW IN THE INDUSTRY
Google is testing branded Local Service Ads (LSA) named Direct Business Search, automatically enrolling brands, but businesses can opt-out from Feb 13. This new ad type allows brands to show up in search results when directly searched for, potentially leading to charges for conversions that might have occurred organically. Although concerns were raised about the lack of opt-out options, Google assured advertisers that this feature will be available for all brands shortly.
Google expands its generative AI features for automatically created assets (ACA) to English-language advertisers in the U.S. and UK. Advertisers activating ACA can benefit from generative AI, saving time and gaining access to a wider range of ad campaign ideas. Generative AI works alongside responsive search ads, creating assets that better align with user search queries to enhance overall ad content, aiming to improve ad relevancy and user experience.
LinkedIn launches the Media Planning API, offering detailed audience insights and predictive analytics to optimize campaign performance. Advertisers can utilize real-time data signals to assess expected reach and frequency before allocating budgets, allowing for more informed, data-driven decisions. The Media Planning API provides data on user demographics, job roles, industries, and online behaviors, enhancing ad targeting precision and empowering agencies to make compelling cases for their media choices.
Google Ads has introduced a new email series providing partners with customized optimization advice to enhance ad campaign performance. Aimed at addressing challenges in reaching Google Ads support, these automated emails offer valuable insights for advertisers. While not a substitute for support, they serve as an additional resource to improve campaign results, featuring multiple account advice and direct links to take swift action.
GA4 unveils a trend detection insight feature, focusing on identifying subtle but significant changes in data over an extended period. Unlike anomaly detection, which spots sudden shifts, trend change detection helps users observe slower, gradual changes. This tool provides deeper insights into data trends, aiding in data-driven decisions, though some marketers express preferences for other insights like real-time data.
Google issues an urgent warning to Universal Analytics 360 users, emphasizing the necessity to migrate to Google Analytics 4 before March. Failure to migrate within the next two weeks could result in losing critical advertising capabilities. Google advises specific steps for a smooth transition, including migrating Google Ads links and exporting historical data, with the full UA shutdown scheduled for July 1 due to evolving technology and regulatory demands.
GA4 introduces a consent setting section globally, aiding users in setting up consent mode for verifiable signals, aligning with Google's EU User Consent Policy. This new feature aims to simplify the process of passing consent signals to web streams, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations and maintaining ad campaign performance. Advertisers can benefit from improved ease and efficiency in managing consent preferences with the consent mode tool in GA4.
Google refutes claims made in an IAB Tech Lab report that the Privacy Sandbox might disadvantage smaller businesses, emphasizing its goal of enhancing user privacy while enabling effective digital advertising. The Privacy Sandbox aims to strike a balance between privacy and advertising effectiveness, and Google invites additional feature requests and improvement suggestions. As Google proceeds with its plans to phase out third-party cookies, it emphasizes the necessity for collaborative efforts to adapt to evolving privacy standards.
Meta issued an apology to advertisers for an Ads Delivery outage that caused campaigns to overspend by "thousands." While full refunds are not guaranteed, Meta advises affected advertisers to report the issue to increase the likelihood of a refund. Advertisers are encouraged to follow specific steps, including filing a report with Meta support and providing details of the impact on campaigns, to enhance their chances of receiving compensation.
Google will issue credit refunds to advertisers impacted by a technical glitch in Display and Video 360, affecting campaigns from July to December. Despite resolving the issue, Google acknowledges overcharges and plans to compensate affected advertisers through issued credits. Advertisers are advised to contact Google's sales teams for further information on the credit refund process.
Yelp achieved a record-breaking $1.28 billion in ad revenue during Q4 2023, marking a 13% increase. Ad clicks grew by 5%, and the average cost per click (CPC) rose by 9%, with a notable focus on Services categories. Yelp's strategic shift towards Services aims to generate more quality leads for advertisers in the coming year.
Google Ads is updating its Misrepresentation policy to include penalties for enticing users with false affiliations, starting enforcement in March (April for France). Violating this policy could lead to immediate suspension of Google Ads accounts without prior warning, and a permanent ban on advertising with Google. Advertisers are urged to review their ads and ensure compliance to avoid account suspension.
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INSIGHTS FROM EXPERTS ON LINKEDIN
Graham Ahner emphasizes the importance of scrutinizing marketing agencies by focusing on the team's expertise, past clients, incentives, and team stability. He advises businesses to prioritize working with a team aligned with their goals and success metrics, highlighting that growth is determined by collaboration and motivation, not by agency reputation or awards.
Tom Hunt shares his successful 7-step process that helped his agency close over $1.4 million in revenue, emphasizing the significance of a compelling narrative, strategic distribution, clear calls to action, rapid response, value-driven sales calls, barrier removal, and effective onboarding. His approach revolves around delivering value, creating a distinct narrative, and streamlining the conversion process, providing insights for businesses seeking to enhance their sales strategies.
Mikala Krüger challenges the notion of B2B marketing solely focused on immediate sales, emphasizing the importance of introducing potential clients to the brand and solutions even before they recognize a pain point. She highlights the need to build trust, create memories, and target the broader group of buyers and influencers, providing a comprehensive recipe for long-term success in B2B marketing beyond immediate transactional goals.
Gaetano Nino DiNardi observes a significant trend in 2024 where companies are favoring marketing contractors over full-time headcount. He emphasizes the benefits of reduced overhead costs, specialized expertise, and the preference of skilled marketers for flexible, CEO-like roles. He sees this shift as a win-win situation, allowing companies to mitigate risks and focus on specialization while leveraging a global workforce without location constraints.
Kevin Lord Barry suggests a quick LinkedIn ad experiment that involves uploading different audience segments to observe changes in audience composition. By uploading categories like opportunities, customers, and leads, marketers can identify patterns and strategically adjust campaigns to target the desired audience effectively. He emphasizes the tactical advantage of this approach, allowing anyone to optimize their ad accounts based on quantifiable insights.
Liam Moroney delves into the nuanced world of lead scoring, emphasizing its continued relevance if used wisely. He discourages viewing lead scoring as a rigid science for determining 'sales readiness' and instead suggests leveraging it to categorize leads based on engagement levels. Liam advocates using lead scoring to make informed decisions within marketing programs, identifying valuable sources and engaged audiences while leaving the determination of buyer intent to the individuals themselves.
Jonathan Bland underscores the significance of user-centric keywords in B2B marketing, urging marketers to focus on high-intent terms aligned with user searches. Using Zapier as an example, he showcases the cost-effectiveness of user-centric keywords like "Hubspot to Salesforce integration" compared to broader categories, making a compelling case for a more targeted Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising approach.
Evan Hughes distinguishes between lead generation and demand generation in B2B marketing, emphasizing their unique goals and engagement strategies. Hughes provides clarity on the differences in tactics, audience targeting, and objectives, offering a comprehensive understanding of the roles each plays in a robust marketing strategy.
Alberto Possagno shares insights into the temporal dynamics of B2B marketing's influence on sales, utilizing data analysis from Q1 2022. His 24-month revenue impact graph reveals that companies experience over a third of the impact within the initial 3 months, providing a valuable framework for early estimation and strategic adjustments to enhance marketing's overall impact. Alberto's analysis contributes nuanced perspectives on the evolving relationship between B2B marketing efforts and their long-term sales impact.
Chris Walker shares a cautionary tale about a fast-growing B2B SaaS company planning a significant ad spend without allocating a modest budget for proper tracking. Despite gearing up to invest $14.4 million in advertising, they hesitate to allocate $30,000 for marketing ops. Chris stresses the importance of setting up best practices to track spending effectively, highlighting the potential risks of neglecting foundational elements.
Collin Slattery introduces the efficacy of portfolio bid strategies in Google Ads, recommending their incorporation into marketing strategies. With distinct targets like Scale, Base, and High Margin, these strategies cater to varied goals, offering stability and increased likelihood of hitting targets. Collin emphasizes the versatility of portfolio bids in managing multiple campaigns while maintaining data integrity.
Maggie Roberts provides a reminder that ads won't perform profitably if fundamental factors are overlooked. From a poor online user experience and uncompetitive pricing to lack of differentiation, subpar customer service, and a tarnished reputation, she emphasizes the crucial prerequisites for a successful paid advertising campaign. Maggie encourages businesses to prioritize these foundational elements for a robust return on investment.
That's the scoop for this week! If you found this valuable and any useful insights caught your eye, feel free to share them with your network.
Until next week!
#ppc #paidads #demandgeneration #demandcapture #googleads #linkedinads #facebookads #twitterads #microsoftads #b2b #b2bmarketing #twitterads #brand #paidstrategy #marketingstrategy #paidtips
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$3.8m ARR. $0 raised. I have no idea what I'm doing.
9 个月Thanks for the shout out man :)
Help B2B companys succeed at LinkedIn strategy & tactics/LinkedIn Marketing Advisor/ Content/Ads/Campaign Management/Let's generate YOUR B2B business growth together!/ex.Head LinkedIn Marketing Solutions office DK 6 year
9 个月Oh thank you for the shout out here Deivis ???? I'm in good company, I can see?? Your weekly highlight newsletter is always a great read!