TechShu Marketing Digest: July 2020

This curated list includes important digital marketing updates and insights from the month of July. To stay updated on the latest updates from the digital landscape, read our Digital Marketing Apple Page.

Digital Advertisement 

  • Google launches an image extensions beta program to help businesses grow online sales with Search ads. Read more here
  • Google rolls out new features for responsive search ads. The announcement read

 To help you create more relevant responsive search ads, you can now use location insertion to dynamically add where your product or service is offered. Once set up, your ad will automatically include city, state, or country names based on the locations of potential customers or their areas of interest. To review the number of times your ad is shown using location insertion, you can check anonymized and aggregated reports.

To make it easier for you to create more informative ads, we've improved the suggestions you see when writing headlines and descriptions. Now when you create a responsive search ad, you’ll see new categories that recommend commonly used phrases that highlight online availability, as well as shipping and return options for your business.

  • Facebook adds new Custom Audience creation options based on shopping activities. Read more here
  • Google Analytics introduces two new predictive metrics to App + Web properties. The announcement read

Analytics will now suggest new predictive audiences that you can create in the Audience Builder. For example, using Purchase Probability, we will suggest the audience “Likely 7-day purchasers” which includes users who are most likely to purchase in the next seven days. Or using Churn Probability, we will suggest the audience “Likely 7-day churning users” which includes active users who are not likely to visit your site or app in the next seven days.

  • Hulu launches beta self-service ad manager for SMBs. Read more here

Social Media

  • Facebook rolls out its new 'Music Video Playlists' within Facebook Watch. Read more here
  • Facebook tests a new Page design with a cleaner layout and no more ‘Like’ button. Read more here
  • Facebook introduces a new way to broadcast live to Facebook from Messenger Rooms. Read more here
  • Twitter launches its new direct message chat window on desktop. 
  • Instagram introduces redesigned Instagram Shop. The announcement read

Instagram Shop will have fresh collections and products from brands and creators, as well as special curations from our social shopping channel, @shop. For those in the US, look out for our checkout arrows An image icon example of Instagram checkout arrows that show which products you can buy directly on Instagram without leaving the app. And later this year, we’re adding a new Shop tab in the navigation bar, so you can get to Instagram Shop in just one tap.

  • Snapchat rolls out new brand profiles. The announcement read

Brand Profiles offer a permanent home for brands on Snapchat, built around their unique investments in the app – starting with AR Lenses, native commerce stores, and content highlights. Brand Profiles bring these various brand experiences for Snapchatters together into a single home on our service.

  • YouTube will provide creators with a list of other videos that their viewers have watched on the platform, which are not created by them. 

  • Snapchat tests TikTok-like vertical scrolling format. Read more here
  • WhatsApp rolls out new features to start a chat with a business on WhatsApp. The announcement read 

QR codes are a digital front door that make opening a chat with a business as easy as possible. Previously when people came across an interesting business, they had to add its WhatsApp number to their contacts, one number at a time. Now, people simply can scan the QR code a business displays on its storefront, product packaging or receipt to initiate a chat.

To make it easier for people to discover products, we’re making catalogs and individual items available to be shared as links on websites, Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere. And if people want to share a catalog or item they find with friends or family, they can simply copy the link and send it on WhatsApp or other places as well.

  • Google adds auto-generated 'Smart Replies' to YouTube Studio to help creators engage more easily with their viewers. Read more here

Search

  • Google announces that the Rich Results Test fully supports all Google Search rich result features - it’s out of beta. The announcement read

Rich results are experiences on Google Search that go beyond the standard blue link. They’re powered by structured data and can include carousels, images, or other non-textual elements...Here are some reasons the new tool will serve you better:
It shows which Search feature enhancements are valid for the markup you are providing
It handles dynamically loaded structured data markup more effectively
It renders both mobile and desktop versions of a result
It is fully aligned with Search Console reports

  • Google extends mobile-first indexing deadline to March 2021. Read more here
  • 28.5% of Google users click the first organic result: Study. Read more here
  • Google rolls out a new mobile experience in Search to help people understand the mortgage process. The announcement read

When you search for “mortgage” on your phone, you’ll find a feature that breaks down the complex mortgage process into easy-to-follow steps to help guide you, wherever you may be in the process. It also connects you to a set of useful resources, including news articles, industry definitions and terms, a calculator to assist with payment plans and average mortgage rates. And for those looking for relief and refinance information, we’ll show some of the options available to you.

  • Google reported to be offering Upgraded Google My Business Profiles for $50/month. Program not officially announced. Read more here
  • Sellers who participate in Buy on Google checkout experience will no longer have to pay Google a commission fee. Read more here
  • Google rolls out a new feature that makes it easy to find quick facts about what you see on Google Images. Read more here
Category
Digital Marketing