Instagram Has a New ‘Focus’ Mode for Sharper Selfies and Portraits
Instagram has a new portrait effect that can be added to photos and videos in stories.
About
Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Matt specializes in gathering details, checking facts, and making complex subjects easy to understand. In addition to writing articles, Matt oversees strategy development for SEJ’s news department.
Articles
Bing’s Product Ads Can Soon Include Multiple Images
Bing Ads advertisers can soon create product ads with up to 11 images — 1 main image plus 10 additional images.
New Google AdWords Tool Can Forecast Reach of YouTube Ads
Google AdWords has introduced a new tool called Reach Planner, which allows advertisers to forecast reach and frequency on YouTube.
Facebook Users Have to Re-Confirm App Permissions Every 90 Days
Anyone who signs into apps with their Facebook credentials will now have to re-confirm data permissions every 90 days.
Google Adds Carousel of Quora ‘Top Answers’ to Search Results
Google is testing a new type of carousel in search results featuring top answers from Q&A site Quora.
Google Confirms March 7th Algorithm Update Was About Relevance, Not Quality
Google’s John Mueller has confirmed the March 7th algorithm update did not necessarily target low quality sites.
Google My Business Pages Can Now Include Service Menus
Businesses can now add service menus to their Google My Business listings.
Google Switches to Infinite Scrolling Mobile Search Results
Google has introduced infinite scrolling to mobile search results pages.
Facebook Messenger Now Supports HD Video and 360-degree Photos
With the latest update to Facebook Messenger users can now send and receive HD videos and 360-degree photos.
Google’s John Mueller Answers: How to Add Sitemaps for More Than 50,000 URLs
In Google’s latest Q&A video, John Mueller explains how webmasters can submit a sitemap with more than 50,000 URLs.
Facebook Makes it Easier to Split Test Ads
Facebook now offers an easy solution for split testing ads — also referred to as A/B testing.
Bing Ads Introduces Price Extensions
Bing has launched a new feature that will allow users to add price extensions to search ads.
Google Maps Now Highlights Locations of Active Shootings
Google Maps has been updated with a feature that will indicate when there’s a confirmed active shooting near your location.
Snapchat Now Offers Group Video Chats
Snapchat is rolling out an update that will allow up to 16 people to join a group video chat.
Third-party Instagram Apps Are Broken as Company Reportedly Limits API Access
Third-party Instagram apps are breaking as multiple outlets report the company is limiting access to API data.
Google Enhances Movie Search With Ratings, Showtimes, and More
Google has revamped the search experience for movies with new features such as reviews and shortcuts to buy tickets.
Google Chrome’s Article Suggestions Now 4th Greatest Source of Referral Traffic
A new report shows that Google Chrome’s mobile article recommendations are now the fourth biggest driver of referral traffic.
YouTube Lets Advertisers Buy Ads Based on Reach
YouTube has introduced a new way to buy TrueView ads with a model that is optimized for reach.
Google Fools SEOs With Fake Recrawl Feature in Search Console
Don’t be fooled by Google’s clever April Fools’ joke, disguised as a new Search Console feature.
Google’s John Mueller Says File Extensions in URLs Do Not Matter
Google’s John Mueller says it doesn’t matter whether URLs end in .html, .php, .asp, or have no file extensions.
Facebook No Longer Allows Ad Targeting With Third-Party Data
Facebook is shutting down Partner Categories, which allowed third-party data providers to offer their targeting capabilities to Facebook advertisers.
Instagram Brings Back GIFs in Stories
After being removed earlier this month, Instagram has brought back the ability to use GIF stickers in stories.
Instagram Introduces Full Screen Support for Ads in Stories
Instagram is making it easier for businesses to create full ads that can be used in Stories.
LinkedIn Introduces Video Ads and Video for Company Pages
LinkedIn has finally jumped on the video ad bandwagon with video for sponsored content. LinkedIn is also giving businesses the opportunity to add video to...
Google April Fools Joke: Find Waldo in Google Maps
In celebration of April Fools Google has released a limited-time feature in Google Maps, available for the next week.
Bing Removes Side Text Ads, Adds New Bottom of Page Ad
Bing is expanding ad coverage at the bottom of search results pages, while removing sidebar text ads.
Google Lets Businesses Post Offers to Organic Search Results
Google is testing a new feature which allows Google My Business pages to publish offers directly to search results.
Google+ Update: Notifications for ‘Highlights’ in Communities
An update to Google+ will now allow users to adjust the notification settings for communities they belong to.
Google Maps is Now Available in 39 More Languages
Google has released a update to Maps which makes the service available in 39 more languages.
Google Images Makes it Easier to Find GIFs
Google is bolstering its GIF finding capabilities with the acquisition of GIF platform Tenor.