Springtime is underway and the world of digital marketing is rocking with news. Take a few minutes to get updated on changes that could affect your online marketing career.
Here are just a few of the stories we’ll cover:
- Google just bumped podcasts up a notch on the searchability scale
- LinkedIn ads are pushing the envelope and challenging Facebook and Google
- Google Search Console wants you to combine all versions of your domain
- Instagram now offers in-app checkout
Get the scoop on those developments (and more) in this issue of Stukent’s News You Can Use.
GOOGLE JUST MADE PODCASTS MORE SEARCHABLE
Topic: SEO | Ecommerce
Key Point: Citing a report by Android Police, SEJ says Google Podcasts is now automatically transcribing data from selected podcast episodes and entering that data in the page source on the Google Play Music podcast portal. Google’s podcast team announced plans for the move last summer, and now it’s a reality.
The immediate result of making podcast transcripts searchable is a vastly updated ability for users to find and listen to the topics they want to follow (as opposed to depending on the podcast creators they favor to deliver the information they want).
The potential result is that Google will continue to expand the capabilities to make podcasts a bigger part of Google Search results. Check the Google Search instructions for info on how to make podcasts rankable right now.
ALSO READ: The Listen Notes podcast search engine
LINKEDIN ADS LAUNCHING NEW TARGETING OPTIONS
Topic: Online Advertising | E-commerce
Key Point: LinkedIn advertisers are jumping with joy this year. Interest Targeting became a reality in January, now LinkedIn is adding Lookalike Audiences, Audience Templates, and Microsoft Bing Search data to the mix.
- Beta testing delivered up to 10x growth in campaign reach by customers creating Lookalike audiences
- Audience Templates provide ready-made market segments with characteristics that fit the advertiser’s offer
- The availability of Bing Search data makes Interest Targeting simpler and more effective
If you don’t see the new capabilities in your LinkedIn ad dashboard yet, hold on; they’re rolling out now.
YOU CAN NOW ADD SUBTITLES TO VIDEOS ON TWITTER
Topic: Social Media Marketing | E-commerce
Key Point: Closed captions continue to be an option, but tweeters now have the ability to add subtitles to videos shown on Twitter. Videos play automatically on Twitter, but without sound. The new .SRT subtitle feature gives brands and advertisers a way to boost conversion rates for video-enhanced tweets.
You’ll need to understand .SRT files to leverage subtitles. They aren’t difficult, and the potential returns could be well worth the effort. Read more on Adweek (you may need to register to see the entire article, but there is no cost for registration).
GOOGLE SAYS YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS CHANGE
Topic: Analytics | SEO
Key Point: In the days of Google Webmaster Tools, it was important to claim every possible version of your website. That meant listing both the www and non-www address, and soon expanded to include https and http versions.
Google’s John Mueller says the best long-term strategy is to remove the individual verifications and switch to the domain properties method, now available in your Google Search Console. That will bring all variations of your site into one recognizable domain.
Those who’ve already verified sites via DNS verification will get auto-updated to the new method. While not critical to SEO or analytics, you may want to follow Mueller’s advice sooner than later.
Mueller stressed you may “still need some of the features in the old search console.” Get the full scoop here: Domain Properties, and find out which variation Google now considers the canonical URL.
LINKEDIN PARTNERS WITH ADOBE FOR AD TARGETING
Topic: Online Advertising | E-commerce
Key Point: LinkedIn and Adobe joined forces to combine Adobe’s back-end capabilities with LinkedIn’s insights for B2B advertisers. The move will draw on data from Adobe Experience Cloud (including Marketo Engage and Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales) to target and engage prime prospects sprinkled among the 610 million users of LinkedIn.
Combined with the already-mentioned announcement of improved targeting options for LinkedIn, this news throws new light on the 2016 complaint by Salesforce that Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn could provide an “unfair competitive advantage.”
INSTAGRAM ADDS IN-APP CHECKOUT
Topic: E-commerce
Key Point: Stressing that “Checkout is just one part of our long-term investment in shopping,”. Instagram now provides a prominent “Checkout on Instagram” button below items that qualify for in-app checkout.
20+ brands are helping with the launch, including Nike, Michael Kors, Warby Parker, and others.
Shoppers can store payment data with Instagram to make buying online a quick-click experience. Sellers pay a fee for each transaction. Instagram’s parent company, Facebook, says stored data (for now) will only be used for Instagram shopping.
FACEBOOK AD LIBRARY NOW EVEN MORE TRANSPARENT
Topic: Online Advertising
Key Point: Facebook got slammed with complaints about unfair and untrue political ads populating news feeds during the last U.S. presidential election. That outcry prompted them to change the way they handle ad acceptance and ad transparency.
The latest move makes Ad Library information more available to the public – not only for political ads, but for ALL ADS. Facebook users will now be able to view the entire list of active ads any Page is running. They can also flag an ad as unsuitable directly from Ad Library.
A post on the Facebook Blog declared, “We’re committed to creating a new standard of transparency and authenticity for advertising.”
ALSO READ: About Ad Library
AHREFS TO CHALLENGE GOOGLE SEARCH
Topic: SEO
Key Point: Lookout, Google. Ahrefs announced plans to become the new sheriff in town by developing a search engine that “supports content creators and protects user privacy.” Ahref CEO, Dmitry Gerasimenko, says Google is hoarding site visitors and allowing pirates to scrape content.
Catch this: The Ahrefs search engine will not only protect content, but will share the profits with content creators.
The announcement drew fire from critics as an impossible dream that might be attractive to marketers, but not to users.
Looking for Even More Digital Marketing News?
The Stukent team is constantly on the lookout for changes that could make a difference in your work and your effectiveness online. Consequently, we typically get more nominations for topics to cover than we can include in a single issue of News You Can Use.
Check below to further your personal education. Remember, the difference between a “good” marketer and a “great” marketer is a great marketer never stops learning.
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