?? PPC News (Week 39)

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PPC News

[Sep 25, 2023, to Oct 1, 2023]

Measurement

Google Optimize

Google Optimize Discontinued: Google announced that it will discontinue Google Optimize and Optimize 360 after September 30, 2023. The company will shift its focus towards third-party A/B testing integrations for Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Users are advised to download their historical data before the end date. [source]

Google Analytics 4

Data Masking Features: Google has rolled out a new feature in GA4 that allows users to mask specific data directly from the data stream settings. The feature offers two options: one for masking emails and another for manually managing parameters like page_location, page_referrer, and more. ( Guido Barbacci )

DataStudio

"Chart Underlying Data" [Available for All]: Initially announced as a Pro feature, Looker Studio has made the "Chart Underlying Data" function accessible to all users. This feature allows users to quickly check the underlying charts' data set, although some bugs have been reported depending on the data source. ( Mehdi Oudjida )

Paid Search

Google Ads

Video Views Campaign Subtype [Worldwide]: Google has rolled out a new campaign subtype called "Video Views," designed to use multi-format video ads. According to Google, this can help advertisers achieve up to 40% more views at a lower cost per view. The bid strategy for these campaigns is Target CPV, but only when using multi-format video ads. [source] ( Dario Zannoni )

URL Contains Feature in Performance Max: Google Ads has rolled out the "URL Contains" feature for Performance Max campaigns. This feature allows advertisers to specify which URLs are targeted in their campaigns. It works similarly to how it does in Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) campaigns, and existing DSA campaigns can be upgraded to include this feature. ( Sergey Gordeev )

Access Expiration and Email Subscriptions: Google Ads has rolled out a new feature allowing users to set an "access expiration" date for invited users. This is useful for granting temporary access or cleaning up old email addresses. Additionally, you can directly subscribe these users to specific email alerts like "disapproved ads" or "campaign alerts." (Thomas Eccel)

Updated Dynamic Ad Target Reporting: Google Ads' recent update to dynamic ad target reporting impacts only instances where positive criteria were removed and re-added as negative ones. All other criteria will continue to provide the same values as before, and the reporting criteria metrics will offer better accuracy from now on. [source]

Microsoft Ads

Microsoft Advertising Network for Retail [US Only]: Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Advertising Network for Retail, which allows retailers to accelerate incremental sales and revenue with high-quality ads targeting high-intent shoppers. It removes the need for building private marketplaces and overcoming budget allocation challenges while having everything in one place. [source]

The retail media campaigns drive the entire funnel, like in the image below.

Microsoft Advertising is partnering with Snap: Both platforms announced they will bring Sponsored Links to Snapchat's My AI chatbot. Microsoft can understand user context using its chatbot, making your ads more relevant. [source]

Integrating Bing into Meta AI Chat Experiences: Microsoft has partnered with Meta to integrate Bing into Meta AI's chat platforms, including WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. This move aims to provide more timely and up-to-date answers by leveraging real-time search information. [source]

Amazon Ads

Sponsored Brands Streaming TV on Amazon: Amazon has introduced a new feature where Sponsored Brands ads can appear within streaming TV content across platforms like IMDb.com, Twitch, and devices like Fire TV. Different from traditional Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Products ads targeting users already on Amazon, these ads aim to reach an audience off Amazon who may not be immediately ready to purchase. ( Destaney Wishon )

Off-Amazon Sponsored Product Placement Now Available: Amazon has expanded its Sponsored Products ads to appear on external platforms like Pinterest and BuzzFeed. Advertisers should monitor their SP Placement reports to assess the impact on their campaigns. (Mansour Norouzi)

Bulk File Adjustments for Rest of Search Placement: Amazon now allows advertisers to adjust Rest of Search (ROS) placements via Bulk Files, offering greater flexibility and efficiency in campaign management. ( Abdullah R. ??)

Amazon Attribution Adds Re-Marketing Feature: Amazon Attribution (AA) is introducing a new custom audience feature that enables re-marketing capabilities. This feature allows you to target audiences who have interacted with your off-Amazon ads and directs them into Amazon within the last 30 days, available through Amazon DSP. ( Destaney Wishon )

Amazon Ads Partner Network moves to Advertising Console: Amazon is consolidating the Partner Network and advertising console into one interface, making it easier for agencies to manage campaigns and partnerships. This change aims to streamline the user experience by providing a unified dashboard. (Mansour Norouzi)

Minor tweaks to Amazon DSP UI: Amazon has updated its Demand-Side Platform (DSP) with new features allowing more flexible bidding and goal-setting. Users can now opt for a KPI-focused bid system and choose between awareness, considerations, and conversion goals for each DSP order. (Destaney Wishon)

Walmart Ads

Precise Targeting With Better Contextual Targeting: Display Auction introduces macro-contextual targeting, enabling advertisers to expand their campaign's reach by including additional and related categories. The feature comes with three levels of granularity for more accurate targeting and automation of content classification. [source]

New Ad Sizes Exclusively for Holiday Season: Marquee and Brand Box are introducing new ad sizes exclusively for Holiday 2023 campaigns. These will be available in the Creative Editor, which will soon support pop-up disclaimers and a version history feature. [source]

New Delivery Estimate To Reinforce Reach Estimate: Walmart Advertising has introduced a new feature that displays an estimated daily impression forecast upon entering the maximum bid. This estimate is based on factors like targeting, tactics, flight date, and bid combination. [source]

Paid Social

Meta Ads

Optimize for Value in Advantage+ Shopping: A new update allows advertisers to optimize for value in Advantage+ shopping campaigns. This feature aims to display your ads to users more likely to make high-value purchases. Additionally, you can set a desired ROAS (Return On Ad Spend) goal to maintain an average ROAS around a specific amount. To use this feature, select the 'Sales' campaign objective and set the Performance goal to 'Maximize value of conversions'

( Bram Van der Hallen / Etienne Garcia ?? Roads )

Only Advantage Detailed Targeting: Facebook Ads is replacing the 'Detailed Targeting Expansion' option with 'Advantage detailed targeting' in 'Traffic' objective campaigns, removing manual control over audience expansion. This update means that Meta may automatically reach a broader audience, potentially impacting campaign performance, and suggests considering the Engagement objective for driving engaged website visits instead of the Traffic objective.

Advantage+ Optimization for Creatives: Expand Images: Meta has introduced a new feature called Advantage+ Optimization for creatives, precisely the "Expand Images" function. This feature uses generative AI to expand images so they fit better in various placements automatically. It's handy for adapting square images to vertical formats like Instagram Reels or Stories. ( Dario Zannoni )

TikTok Ads

TikTok Creative Assistant: TikTok has launched an AI-powered virtual assistant called TikTok Creative Assistant, aimed at helping brands and creators streamline their creative processes on the platform. The assistant offers features like brainstorming ideas, refining scripts, and providing insights on creative best practices, all integrated within the TikTok Creative Center. [source]

Shopify Audiences integrates Snap, Criteo & TikTok: Shopify now allows to sync Audiences seamlessly to all major advertising platforms, with the addition of Snap, Criteo, and TikTok alongside existing partners Meta, Google, and Pinterest.[source]

YouTube Ads

Advertiser-friendly guidelines relaxed on YouTube: YouTube has updated its Advertiser-Friendly Content guidelines, allowing creators to monetise content discussing topics like sexual and domestic abuse, abortions, and eating disorders, provided they avoid graphic details. [source]

LinkedIn Ads

New Revenue Attribution Report on LinkedIn: LinkedIn has unveiled its new tool, the Revenue Attribution Report, to assist B2B marketers in demonstrating the effectiveness of their ad spend. This tool goes beyond traditional metrics and connects advertising data with CRM outcomes to provide insights into how marketing investments impact vital business outcomes such as revenue, pipeline generation, and win rates. [source]

Organic Social

Meta

Meta unveils new AI Experiences across apps: Meta is rolling out a range of new AI features across its platforms, including AI stickers, AI Image editing, advanced conversational assistants, and AI characters with unique personalities.

Cultural icons like Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady even portray some AI characters. Meta also plans to launch an AI studio for developers and businesses to build their AIs. [source]

YouTube

Goodbye Google Podcasts, Hi to YouTube Podcasts: YouTube Music plans to enhance its podcast offerings, introducing YouTube-exclusive features for fans and creators in 2024, while Google Podcasts will be discontinued. The transition aims to provide a seamless experience with robust podcast creation tools and analytics. [source]

Looking forward to 2024, we’ll be increasing our investment in the podcast experience on YouTube Music — making it a better overall destination for fans and podcasters alike.

Marketing Industry

GDPR, Users Protection & Privacy Laws

Landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon: The U.S. government, along with 17 states, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the e-commerce giant has harmed both shoppers and sellers on a massive scale. The lawsuit accuses Amazon of running an illegal monopoly, exploiting its dominant position to lock in sellers and shoppers, and artificially inflating prices. The case could lead to a breakup of Amazon and has implications for third-party sellers and online retail competition. [source]

Amazon wins interim stay on EU's public ads archive requirement: Amazon has partially won the EU General Court against the Digital Services Act's (DSA) requirement to make an ads library public. The court agreed that releasing this information could cause "serious and irreversible commercial harm" to Amazon. However, the court did not suspend the DSA's requirement for Amazon to offer a non-profiling option for recommendations to its users. [source]

Apple rejected Microsoft's bid for Bing despite higher offer: Microsoft's CEO of Advertising and Web Services, Mikhail Parakhin, revealed that Apple rejected Microsoft's proposal to make Bing its default search engine, despite offering more than Google. The decision implies that Google's deal with Apple may not be solely financially motivated. Microsoft was willing to incur a significant short-term loss for the default search engine status, emphasizing its importance. [source]

Facebook becomes subject to legal action over biased ad algorithm: A California State Court of Appeals has ruled that Facebook can be sued for claims that its advertising algorithm is biased. This reverses a 2020 decision that protected Facebook under Section 230. [source]

Note: The case originated from allegations that Facebook's algorithm did not show insurance ads to women and older people, potentially violating civil rights laws. The ruling could have implications for brands using Facebook's ad tools, as they may unintentionally engage in discriminatory practices.

iOS17-like privacy is now part of MacOS Sonoma: Safari in macOS Sonoma introduces powerful features that enhance privacy and usability. Users can now create separate profiles for different purposes, making switching between work and personal browsing easy. Private Browsing offers improved protection against tracking techniques, and the ability to add websites to the dock provides a more app-like experience for frequently visited sites. [source]

Ask Meta AI: Meta has introduced new generative AI features, such as deleting information shared in any chat with an AI across Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp. As a note, Meta AI is also available when using the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses collection, a new competitor for Siri. [source]

Reddit now mandates personalised ads based on user’s activity: Reddit is making updates to improve user privacy and ad preferences that include more transparent privacy settings descriptions, the ability to limit ads from specific categories, consolidation of ad personalisation settings, and simplification of location customisation options. [source]

Advertising News

Indonesia Bans E-commerce Transactions on TikTok: Indonesia has immediately banned e-commerce transactions on social media platforms such as TikTok Shop. The regulation also includes requirements for e-commerce platforms to set minimum prices for specific items and ensure products meet local standards. [source]

Shopify Benchmark: Shopify introduces a benchmarking functionality, allowing merchants to compare campaign performance with similar businesses for more relevant insights. [source]

AI Tools Developments

Bard To Give More Than One Response: Bard provides two draft responses and allows users to select a preferred draft, indicate no preference, or opt-out entirely. This enhancement collects valuable real-world feedback, continuously improving Bard's response quality. [source]

DALL-E 3 Integrated into Bing Chat for Free: Microsoft announced that DALL-E 3, OpenAI's advanced image-generating AI, will be accessible on Bing Chat. Previously a paid service, the tool allows users to create detailed, realistic images from textual descriptions. (Javier Gutiérrez)

ChatGPT Can Hear, See, and Speak: ChatGPT has introduced new features allowing users to engage in voice conversations and share images. Voice conversations enable interactive discussions, while image sharing enhances various tasks, all contributing to a more versatile user experience. [source]

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