This curated list includes important digital marketing updates and insights from the month of June. To stay updated on the latest updates from the digital landscape, read our Digital Marketing Apple Page.
Digital Advertisement
1) Google expands Smart campaigns to 150 countries. The announcement read
You can set up a Smart campaign and create your first ad in just 15 minutes while on the go. And starting today, you can use Smart campaigns to display a prominent, square-shaped Google Maps pin with your business category logo, highlighting specific services that you offer, like curbside pickup or delivery. We’re bringing Promoted pins to Smart campaigns advertisers for free through the end of September.
2) Google users can now book service appointments directly from mobile Local Services ads. The announcement read
As people spend more time at home, we’ve seen searches for local services, like “carpet cleaning” or “air conditioning repair” increase by 50 percent in recent months. We’re now making it easier to book these services directly in Google Search on mobile through Local Services Ads in the U.S. Local Services Ads help people discover and connect with trustworthy, local professionals backed by the Google Guarantee. Later this month, we’re also launching a new mobile site for the U.S. and Canada, to help more people find, compare and book nearby service providers faster.
3) Google gives businesses the opportunity to stand out on Google Maps, for free. The announcement read
Every month, over 1 billion people use Google Maps to see what’s around them, search for businesses, and find directions. Promoted pins on Google Maps help your business stand out during these moments by displaying a prominent, square-shaped Google Maps pin. This pin can help you highlight specific services such as pickup, delivery, and other unique offerings.
As people begin to visit businesses in person again, we want to send more customers your way. Through September 2020, you won't be charged for any clicks, calls or sales from Promoted pins.
Also, marketers can sign up for Smart campaigns and run ads directly from the Google Ads mobile app. Other updates include -
To make it easier for you to check your ad's status, we've made our reporting features more accessible. With a quick search, you can instantly see the status of your Smart campaigns, how they’re performing, and how your ads look to potential customers. First, sign into the Google account you use for Google Ads. Then search for “My Ads” or “Google Ads” on Google.com.
We've heard small businesses want more control over keywords that help them reach potential customers on Google Search. With keyword themes (formerly “products and services”), you tell us what your business offers and we’ll show your ad to potential customers searching for related phrases. This means your ads reach more of the right people and you can save time in the process. You also have the option to modify or remove keyword themes, so you’re always in control.
Read more here
4) Google rolls out a new personalized advertising policy for certain types of ads in the employment, housing, and credit sectors. Read more here
5) TikTok launches TikTok for Business. Read more here
6) Google experiments with a new way to make actionable video ads more shoppable and announces other updates like including YouTube in Google Ads attribution reports. The announcement read
All you need to do is sync your Google Merchant Center feed to your video ads, and you can visually expand your call-to-action button with the best-sellers you want to feature and drive traffic to the product pages that matter...Today we’re announcing Video action campaigns, a simple and cost-effective way to drive more conversions across YouTube...We often see that people switch between Search and YouTube to find new information that influences what to buy. In order to help you understand where your conversions are coming from and provide more transparency around your customer’s path to purchase, we’ve included YouTube in our Google Ads attribution reports. Attribution reports can provide insight into how budgets can be allocated to maximize impact across YouTube, search and shopping campaigns.
7) Snapchat advertisers can master Ads Manager with Snap Focus - Snapchat's new learning portal. Read more here
8) Advertisers can now create Instagram ads without having a presence on Facebook. Read more here
9) Facebook to allow ads to promote non-medical masks with some restrictions. Read more here
10) Snapchat rolls out Dynamic Ads globally. Read more here