This week on Marketing O’Clock, Greg Finn, Mark Saltarelli, and Christine “Shep” Zirnheld are here to deliver the biggest digital marketing news of the week.
Tune in on your favorite podcast player or check us out on YouTube!
Product Reviews Algorithm Update
This update will reward product reviews that share more thorough, in-depth research of products. The update is already live and currently only affects English language reviews.
Google’s Danny Sullivan confirmed that the update will impact Google Discover results as well as Search.
The Google product reviews update also does impact if that content shows in Google Discover – story updated at https://t.co/SV7RpqbVSj https://t.co/dU5vxIrZnz
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) April 12, 2021
Google Ads Launches Insights Tab & Expands Automated Recommendations
The insights tab is now out of beta and available in all Google Ads accounts.
From the new tab, advertisers can see Search trends that may be associated with their business.
Graphs will show how the trend is growing and by clicking “Top Searches,” advertisers can see queries related to the trend.
This information could be used to set up new search campaigns that take advantage of emerging trends.
Also announced, Google Ads will be offering more types of automated recommendations for advertisers who choose to opt-in.
If you opt in, recommendations will be instantly applied to your account when Google’s algorithms predict that they will improve performance.
Project Bernanke Raises Anti-Trust Concerns
As revealed by documents filed for an unrelated lawsuit, Google has been using publisher data and historical auction data from other ad platforms using Google Ad Manager and Ad Mob to give its clients an unfair advantage in ad auctions. The program, called Project Bernanke, generated an estimated $230 million in 2013 alone.
Take of the Week
Bastien has a hot take regarding Google’s “simplified” location reporting.
How to waste your daily time: turn a perfect, instant access location report available in one click in every campaign (user position report) into a bloated location report in the #googleads Report tab. #ppcchat
— bastien (@bastien31) April 14, 2021
ICYMI
Gil David has an easy way for brands to dip their toes into influencer marketing.
Want a surprise?
Use existing post > Select post > instead of choosing Facebook or Instagram try 'Branded Content'
Nothing there? Client needs to up their influencer game BUT you can still head to the tagged posts section of their IG and get permission to use those 👌🏽
— Gil David (@Gil_RunDMG) April 13, 2021
Lightning Round
Get answers to these important digital marketing questions:
- Who is taking shots at Wix over their controversial new ad campaign?
- What do advertisers need to know about Twitter’s re-branded ad options?
- When will Clubhouse finally release the android version of the app?
- Where can you find a list of new categories to bid on in Capterra?
- Why should you not mix YMYL content with non-YMYL content?
- How is DuckDuckGo planning on blocking FLoC?
To hear the latest digital marketing news every Friday, subscribe to the show or our weekly newsletter on the Marketing O’Clock Site.
Featured Image Credit: Samantha Hanson, Cypress North
