August 2019 News You Can Use

The 2019-2020 school year is heading our way quickly, but digital marketing updates didn’t take a summer break. Our roving reporter uncovered several announcements you don’t want to miss.


Here’s a sampling of the stories you’ll find in this issue:

  • You will soon have the option of controlling Facebook ad budgets at the campaign level
  • Snapchat rolled out a new 3-step ad creation tool to get you going FAST
  • Local listing citations may no longer impact SEO

Get the scoop on these stories and more, right here in Stukent’s News You Can Use.

A “NEW TWITTER” ROLLS OUT

Topic: Social Media

Key Point: Twitter says their users will enjoy the new Twitter.com for desktop — refreshed, updated, faster, easier to navigate, and more personalized. Conversations are going to be “easier to find and follow — and just a bit more fun,” says the little blue bird.

Other new or updated features include an uptick in live video and local moments, Top Trends from any view, easier-to-access bookmarks and lists, and expanded direct messaging function.

Check it out at Twitter.com or read more here: Introducing a new Twitter.com

FACEBOOK MOVES BUDGET TO THE CAMPAIGN LEVEL 

Topic: Online Advertising | Social Media Marketing

Key Point: Your Facebook advertising budget will be easier to manage, starting in September 2019. Campaign budget optimization will be available for both new and existing campaigns. The change will allow advertisers to set a central campaign budget for all sets in the campaign, and Facebook will distribute the budget to top performing sets “in real time.”

If you prefer to control your Facebook ad spend at the ad set level, you’ll retain that option. There are a number of factors to consider. To get the full scoop, see this post on the Facebook Business page.

ALSO SEE: Introducing an Easier Way to Maximize Campaign Results

GOOGLE DATA STUDIO GETS A NEW HOME PAGE 

Topic: Analytics

Key Point: Google says the new home page for Data Studio will make it easier for you to gather insights and create reports. The update is just one of over 25 Data Studio features announced so far this year.

Is the new interface more efficient? According to Google, it’s a user experience upgrade you’ll be overjoyed to see. The only way to tell, though, is to check it out. Here’s more info from the Google Marketing Platform blog: Get to insights quicker with Data Studio.

ALSO SEE: What’s New

ARE DRONES REALLY THE FUTURE OF DELIVERY?

Topic: Ecommerce

Key Point: A 2018 McKinsey and Company report pointed out that consumers are demanding, but also cheap. They display a “low willingness to pay for greater convenience.” Predictions in that document included increased demand for electric delivery vehicles, the appearance of “semi-autonomous delivery vehicles,” and the eventual appearance of robot delivery pilots.

How big a part will delivery drones play in the transformation of ecommerce? We found an infographic from GetElastic that says “last mile” delivery is the most expensive part of the journey and sky-based delivery from local distribution centers is the drone sweet spot.

Cost savings to the seller, quicker delivery times, better for the environment, avoids traffic jams in the city … those benefits, and more, are spurring the drone movement. 

But there are also some challenges to overcome: Drones are noisy, pose safety concerns for humans (both on the ground and in the air), and would eventually become an eyesore instead of a novelty.

Take a look at the big-picture by checking out the Why Are Delivery Drones Taking Off infographic.

SNAPCHAT ANNOUNCED A NEW 3-STEP AD CREATION TOOL

Topic: Online Advertising

Key Point: Snapchat Instant Create gives advertisers a quick and simple way to design Snapchat-optimized advertisements. The new tool provides a three-step process that can create optimized ads in a hurry:

  • Choose your objective
  • Enter the URL of your landing page
  • Select targeting

Bam! You’re ready for click-throughs. Marketers who are low on both budget and advertising know-how can now launch ads and start learning … without risking the business to do it. Choose “Instant Create” when you’re building a campaign to get those ads in front of prospects with minimum hassle.

Here’s where to find out more: The Snapchat 3-step ad creation tool

ALSO SEE: Introducing Instant Create

THE FUTURE OF EMAIL: GOOGLE COMMITS TO BIMI

Topic: Email Marketing

Key Point: The Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) standard just got a huge boost forward. The world’s leading mailbox provider — Google — announced plans to launch a BIMI pilot project in conjunction with the AuthIndicators Working Group.

Companies like LinkedIn, Verizon Media, and Agari are already aboard the BIMI train. Google’s efforts follow a BIMI trial by Yahoo Mail last year.

But what is BIMI, and why are mailers excited about the benefits it promises?

BIMI allows brands to display their logos in the mailbox of email recipients via DMARC-authenticated messages. In a way, BIMI is a trust seal for senders and will give readers more confidence in their email. Google’s testing is slated to begin in 2020.

Get more info here: Google joins BIMI initiative to combat email fraud.

ALSO SEE: What is DMARC?

OWN THE YOUTUBE MASTHEAD VIA CPM

Topic: Social Media Advertising | Ecommerce

Key Point: Advertisers looking for prime YouTube positioning can now pay a CPM rate for the YouTube masthead and use advanced audience solutions to target a customized audience. This doesn’t replace the cost-per-day option but provides another way to pay.

Advertisers don’t place bids for the top spot on YouTube, rather it’s available as reserved placement. Impressions are guaranteed and campaigns can last up to one week. 

Here’s what Google Ads Help says about the move:

“With premium placement atop the YouTube Home feed, guaranteed reach and the flexibility of CPM buying, the opportunity to drive impact with the Masthead has never been greater.”

Here’s the rest of the announcement: YouTube Masthead now available with CPM buying

ALSO SEE: About reserved media placements on YouTube

DO LOCAL CITATIONS MATTER ANYMORE?

Topic: SEO

Key Point: Does the laborious process of getting a local business placed on all relative listing services and keeping them updated still pay off? Many SEO gurus say listings really don’t matter that much anymore.

To get to the bottom of the question, one local search guru interviewed five prominent local SEO practitioners. Some were still supportive of getting those listings, and some weren’t. One thing for sure, though, the points they make can provide plenty of fodder for discussion.

Here’s that article: Do local citations matter anymore? Five local SEOs sound off

ALSO SEE: Local SEO for Enterprise Sites From 2004 to 2019

DIGITAL MARKETERS NEEDED

Digital marketing is not a dull profession. It is ever-changing and always challenging. That’s why Stukent began offering classroom help for marketing professors first. No printed book can stay current with digital marketing topics. By the time they’re written and printed, they’re obsolete.

Pull topics that interest you from this issue of NYCU. Use them to prompt discussions with your peers. Get used to learning and expanding. Never think you know it all. Nobody does.

That’s the way to excel in the dynamic world of digital marketing. Learn and practice the fundamentals, but be ready to adapt when online tools and platforms present more effective options. Never stop growing.

BONUS INFO

Facebook announces changes to text and aspect ratios on Mobile News Feed

Google extends same-meaning close variants to phrase match, broad match modifiers

LinkedIn updates pages and algorithm

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