Shake off that summer sluggishness and get in gear. There’s plenty going on in the always-changing world of digital marketing:
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- Facebook gave marketers a break on the sometimes difficult task of certification
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- The rumor about the death of podcasts was terribly over-exaggerated
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- Automation is coming to an advertising platform near you
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- You can get a guided tour through Google Search guidelines
- Local businesses need to pay attention to reviews more than ever before
Are you ready for a romp through the recently published news and stories that matter most to digital marketing?
You found the spot. Let’s get started.
1. GET FACEBOOK-CERTIFIED SOONER
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Social Media Marketing[/highlight]
Key Point: Facebook updated the Certification exam policy. Candidates who fail to get a passing score on the initial exam can now attempt to take the exam again in five days instead of needing to wait an entire month.
Why should you care about getting certified?
Facebook certification and badges show potential employers, clients, and the rest of the world that you possess advanced skills with the Facebook family of tools – especially Facebook ads. That can not only help you get more work but give you the savvy required to get results.
Bottom line: It’s good stuff. Here’s the link for more info: Facebook Certification.
ALSO SEE: 3 Tips for Passing the Facebook Certification Exam
2. GOOGLE ADS – 5 AUTOMATIONS YOU CAN USE
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Online Advertising[/highlight]
Key Point: Google Ads (the platform formerly known as “AdWords”) is hot on the trail of machine learning (ML).
Smart Campaigns for small businesses, goal-optimized Shopping Ads, Smart Bidding … you name it, Google is pushing the limit and giving you more capabilities all the time.
ML may sound mysterious and way too technical, but smart marketers are dropping the fear and embracing the concept. We’re no longer talking about tools influenced by machine learning. We’re using them.
Check this Search Engine Land article: 5 Things Google Ads Can Now Do Automatically.
[line]3. PODCASTS ARE DEFINITELY NOT DEAD
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]SEO | Ecommerce[/highlight]
Key Point: Lest you think podcasting is no longer relevant for digital marketing, here’s some news that says “Think again.”
Google Podcasts just launched on Android and the app is available globally in the Google Play store.
Why is that excellent news for online marketers?
Getting listed on the Google Podcasts app creates a straight, quick line between a podcast and getting indexed on Google Search. That means more search positions taken and more links going to the business presence.
Read all about it: Google Podcasting.
ALSO SEE: 2018 Podcast Facts and Figures
[line]4. UPDATES TO GOOGLE SEARCH QUALITY RATER GUIDELINES
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]SEO[/highlight]
Key Point: It’s true. Google employs search quality raters who personally check the SERP (search engine results page) for assigned inquiries to ensure the algorithm is working properly and spammy sites aren’t faking their way through.
The official word is that those Google Search evaluators can’t penalize a site, but five will get you ten that their findings are closely scrutinized by the webspam team … and those guys can definitely affect a website’s destiny.
So, why should you care?
To get a guided look at the beast, check this SEM article covering the most recent updates to the document: Google Search Quality Guidelines Update.
ALSO SEE: Who are Google search quality raters and what do they do?
5. DIGITAL VIDEO IS THE NEW WINDOW SHOPPING
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Ecommerce | Online Advertising[/highlight]
Key Point: Google says “digital video has upended shopping as we know it.” In all humility, we’ll correct that statement to “shopping as we knew it.” The way we purchase goods has changed dramatically over the past decade.
Technological advancements now give us the ability to virtually review items – in some ways even better than we could by having a physical product to examine. Videos can not only present the item but tell the story of the item and show it in every color and style made.
This article from Think with Google points out three breakthrough ways video has changed shopping forever. It’s well worth the read, and it’s excellent material for discussion.
ALSO SEE: 60 Video Marketing Stats You Need to Know
[line]6. HOW TO EMBED DATA STUDIO RESULTS
Topics: [highlight type=”dark”]Ecommerce | Analytics[/highlight]
Key Point: If you’ve been sending Data Studio results to other via email or public links, you’re going to love this news: you can now not only embed those reports BUT you can blend two different Google Analytics data sources in a single visualization.
That’s right. Use Data Studio to deliver interactive, colorful charts on any site or app that supports HTML.
Amazing.
Here’s the tutorial: Embed a Report.
And if you’re not yet leveraging the power of Data Studio, get started.
[line]7. NUZZEL JOINED FORCES WITH HOOTSUITE
Topics: [highlight type=”dark”]Social Media Marketing | Ecommerce[/highlight]
Key Point: Nuzzel News is a powerful tool by itself. It allows researchers, PR professionals, business owners … and now YOU … to track news and social signals 24/7.
Keep track of competitors, stay current on news related to your niche, get alerts when influencers wade into the discussion – Nuzzel is one heavy duty platform, and now you can check the Nuzzel feed from the Hootsuite dashboard.
Nuzzel subscribers will find an easy set-up process on Hootsuite. Non-subscribers get 14 days to check it out, but they’ll need to pony up at least $39/month to stay active. For most marketers, that’s a time-saving, quality-building bargain.
Find out more here: Nuzzel Partners with Hootsuite.
ALSO SEE: The Hootsuite App Directory
8. HOW TO DRAW MEDIA ATTENTION FOR FREE
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Ecommerce | SEO[/highlight]
Key Point: Emmy award winning TV producer Paula Rizzo says media outlets are constantly on the lookout for experts and intriguing stories from those experts.
Knowing what reporters need and how you can provide it can pull a ton of branding capital for businesses and the people who represent them.
So, what’s the secret sauce look like?
Rizzo covers the payoffs you can expect from media attention, the three elements of an effective pitch, how to get attention from publishers, and much more.
Right here: Get Free Media Attention.
9. BONUS STORY: CHECKING OUT THE EXPLORE TAB FOR LOCAL
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Ecommerce | SEO[/highlight]
Key Point: Google Maps is in the process of releasing a new version of the Explore Tab. Users only need click a button to find out which businesses are closest, what they offer, and what reviewers think of them.
Google calls the Explore Tab your “hub for everything new and interesting nearby.”
But what effect does the feature have on marketing? For one thing, local businesses who’ve yet to give much thought to reputation management should consider doing that now. It also has ramifications for “near me” searches.
Get the entire scoop on Geo Marketing: What Google Maps’ Explore Feature Means For Local Search Marketing
[line]That’s all folks!
We hope you’ve enjoyed the July edition of Stukent’s News You Can Use.
You’re now aware of digital marketing information others have yet to discover.
That gives you an edge.
Use it!
See you next month.
BONUS INFO
11 Big Changes Coming to Google Ads: What You Need to Know
Honest Startup Advice From Somebody Who’s Been Through It
How to Use Google AdWords’ “Optimize” Feature To Create Custom Landing Pages
When you see an article or announcement you think should be covered in News You Can Use, let us know. Be a Stukent field reporter!
