Loop Digital July Digital Marketing Industry Update

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Welcome to the Loop Digital July 2024 Digital Marketing Industry Update! This month, we’re thrilled to share the latest developments shaping the digital marketing industry. July has been a cluster of innovation, with groundbreaking advancements in AI-driven search, privacy-conscious advertising, and evolving social media dynamics. 

The industry is witnessing transformative changes from OpenAI’s SearchGPT prototype to Google’s strategic shifts in cookie policies. We’ll explore how these updates are redefining SEO practices, PPC strategies, and social media engagement. 

Essential Skills for Digital Marketing Careers

OpenAI Tests SearchGPT Prototype

OpenAI has started testing its SearchGPT prototype with 10,000 users. This tool aims to improve search engine interactions by providing quick, relevant answers from the web, including source links for transparency. The interface includes a search box asking, “What are you searching for?” with results displayed in a sidebar. Future updates will focus on enhancing local information and commerce features, potentially changing how businesses optimise content for better search visibility.

Reddit Blocks Bing Search Access

Microsoft confirmed that Reddit has blocked Bing from accessing its content, presenting a challenge for Bing as it limits the availability of Reddit discussions in search results. This move may also affect advertisers who use Bing to reach Reddit’s engaged audience.

Bing’s New Generative Search Experience

Bing is testing a new generative search experience, which aims to deliver more contextual and relevant results. This aligns with the trend of integrating AI into search engines to meet the growing demand for personalised user experiences. The new feature could enhance Bing’s position in the competitive search market.

Google Retains Third-Party Cookies in Chrome

Google has reversed its decision to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, impacting digital advertising and user privacy. Advertisers can continue using cookies for targeted ads, but the approach faces increased scrutiny over privacy concerns. This decision is crucial for marketers relying on cookies for tracking user behaviour and optimising campaigns.

Meta Open Sources Llama AI Models

Meta has open-sourced its Llama AI models to encourage broader innovation and collaboration within the AI community. This move is expected to advance AI applications across various industries, supporting a wide range of developments in artificial intelligence.

OpenAI Launches GPT-4o Mini

OpenAI has introduced GPT-4o Mini, a more affordable version of its AI model, replacing GPT-3.5. This model provides similar capabilities at a lower cost, making advanced AI technology more accessible to businesses and developers, expanding OpenAI’s market reach.

Decrease in Google AI Overviews Visibility

Google AI overviews are now visible for only 7% of queries, a significant reduction that raises concerns about the efficacy of AI-generated content in search results. Marketers need to adjust their strategies to ensure their content remains visible and relevant as Google continues to refine its AI features.

RouteLLM Offers High-Quality AI at a Lower Cost

RouteLLM has achieved 90% of GPT-4o’s quality at 80% of the cost, providing a more affordable alternative for businesses seeking advanced language models. This breakthrough offers significant potential for digital marketing, allowing companies to enhance content generation and customer engagement affordably.

OpenAI Plans to Develop Search Product

OpenAI has announced plans to develop a dedicated search product, aiming to enter the competitive search engine market. This development could reshape the landscape of online search, particularly with OpenAI’s advanced AI capabilities offering more personalised and accurate results.

Data Discrepancies Between GA4 and Google Ads

A new tool has revealed discrepancies between Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Ads data, highlighting the importance of accurate tracking and reporting. Marketers must reconcile data between platforms to optimise their digital marketing strategies effectively.

Alphabet Cancels HubSpot Acquisition

Alphabet has decided not to acquire HubSpot, a move that would have significantly impacted the marketing software landscape. This decision highlights the complexities of mergers and acquisitions in the tech sector and the need for companies to remain flexible in their strategic planning.

Google Search Console Adds Shipping and Return Policies Feature

Google Search Console now allows businesses to set shipping and return policies directly within the platform. This feature enhances transparency for consumers and can improve the shopping experience, helping businesses build trust and potentially increase conversion rates.

Introduction of Moshi AI Chatbot

Moshi, a new AI chatbot, offers capabilities similar to GPT-4o, reflecting the growing trend of AI-driven customer service solutions. These tools are increasingly adopted by businesses to enhance customer interactions and streamline communication.

Updates to Google Organisation Type Schema Data

Google has updated its organisation-type schema data to include return policy information, helping businesses provide structured data in search results. This update can improve online visibility and provide useful information to potential customers.

Google Addresses Latency Issues in Search Performance Reports

Google is working on fixing latency issues in its Search Performance reports. Faster and more reliable reports are crucial for marketers who rely on timely data to inform their SEO and content strategies. These improvements are expected to enhance the efficiency of accessing performance metrics.

SEO Highlights

Billions of Google Redirects to Stop Working Next Year

According to recent reports, Google will be shutting down its goo.gl service completely on August 25, 2025. This means that billions of redirected URLs currently in use will cease to function after that date.

The shutdown process will begin on August 23, 2024, when Google starts displaying an interstitial page for a percentage of existing links. This notice will inform users that the link will no longer be supported after August 25, 2025, before redirecting them to the original target page. Over time, the percentage of links showing this interstitial page will increase until the shutdown date, after which all links will return a 404 error.

New Google Core Update Coming Soon

Google has announced that a new core update is on the way in the coming weeks. Core updates are significant changes to Google’s search algorithms that can impact website rankings across the board. While the exact details of the upcoming update are not yet known, it’s always a good idea to ensure your website is following best practices for SEO and providing high-quality, relevant content to users.

Google to Only Index Mobile-Friendly Sites

In a move towards a mobile-first approach, Google has announced that it will only index websites that are optimised for mobile devices. Starting from July 5, 2024, Google will no longer crawl or index non-mobile-friendly sites, meaning they will not appear in search results. This change underscores the importance of ensuring your website is responsive and provides a seamless experience for users on various devices.

Google Merchant Center Introduces Automatic Product Syncing

Google Merchant Center has rolled out a new feature that allows for automatic syncing of product information by directly crawling websites. This enhancement simplifies the process of keeping product data up-to-date in the Merchant Center, ensuring that the information displayed in Google Shopping results is accurate and current.

Google Clarifies E-E-A-T’s Role in Rankings

Google has clarified the role of E-E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) in search rankings. The company emphasised that while E-E-A-T is an important factor, the focus should be on creating high-quality, valuable content that meets user needs. This guidance suggests that chasing specific signals may not be as effective as developing genuinely useful and informative content for your target audience.

Google Drops Continuous Scroll in Search Results

Google has announced the discontinuation of its continuous scrolling feature for desktop search results. Users will now see traditional pagination with ten results per page, making it easier to navigate and find relevant information quickly. This change may impact SEO strategies, as marketers will need to focus on optimising for the first page of search results.

Google June 2024 Spam Update Complete

Google has finished rolling out its June 2024 spam update. This update is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to maintain the quality and relevance of search results by identifying and penalising spammy or low-quality content. If your website has seen changes in rankings after this update, it’s advisable to review Google’s spam policies and ensure you are complying with their guidelines.

PPC Highlights

Google to Test Ads in AI Overviews

Google will soon test search and shopping ads within its AI Overviews, a feature aimed at enhancing user engagement by presenting contextual information alongside sponsored content. As confirmed by Alphabet’s SVP Philipp Schindler, the ads will appear in a clearly labelled section, ensuring users can distinguish between sponsored and organic content. This testing phase, initially available in the U.S., is closely watched by advertisers eager to assess its impact on ROI.

Reddit Introduces Lead Generation Ads

Reddit has launched Lead Generation Ads, allowing businesses to capture leads directly from the platform. This new format simplifies the process for users to express interest in products or services without leaving Reddit, positioning the platform as a stronger player in digital advertising, especially for brands targeting niche audiences.

Google’s AI-Driven Advertising Innovations

Google is investing heavily in AI-driven advertising innovations to improve targeting and ad relevance while balancing privacy concerns. These advancements are crucial as privacy regulations evolve, with Google striving to offer innovative solutions while maintaining user privacy and consent.

Netflix Shifts Focus to Ad-Supported Plans

Netflix is phasing out its cheapest ad-free plan in Canada, the UK, the U.S., and France, shifting towards an ad-supported model. This move reflects a broader industry trend of streaming platforms incorporating ads to generate revenue. By embracing an ad-supported tier, Netflix aims to attract a wider audience and offer advertisers access to its large viewer base.

Microsoft Ads Launches Brand Lists for PMax Campaigns

Microsoft Ads has introduced “brand lists” for its Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, allowing advertisers to exclude their ads from appearing alongside specific brands. This feature enhances brand safety and control over ad placements, helping advertisers maintain a positive brand image and avoid associations with competitors.

Google Investigated in Italy Over User Consent Practices

Google is under investigation in Italy concerning its user consent practices, part of a broader scrutiny of how tech companies handle user data and obtain consent for targeted advertising. The outcome could significantly impact Google’s advertising operations in Europe and potentially influence broader industry regulations.

Apple Revamps App Store Search Layout

Apple has revamped the App Store search layout, prioritising ads and suggestions to enhance visibility for advertisers and improve the user experience. This change aims to make it easier for users to discover relevant apps, increasing the advertising revenue potential for Apple and exposure for developers.

Meta Expands Overlay Ads to Instagram Reels

Meta has expanded its overlay ads feature to Instagram Reels, enabling ads to be displayed directly on video content. This move leverages the popularity of short-form videos, offering brands new ways to engage with audiences and enhancing monetisation opportunities for creators and advertisers.

Meta Introduces Custom Offers on Instagram Ad CTAs

Meta has rolled out a feature allowing advertisers to display custom offers directly on Instagram ad call-to-action (CTA) buttons. This enhancement lets brands highlight specific discounts or promotions, encouraging user action and potentially increasing conversion rates.

Amazon Launches AI Shopping Assistant ‘Rufus’

Amazon’s new AI shopping assistant, Rufus, is now available to all U.S. customers, providing personalised product recommendations and shopping insights. By leveraging AI, Rufus aims to enhance the e-commerce experience, helping customers find products aligned with their preferences.

LinkedIn to Launch AI Ad Tool ‘Accelerate’

LinkedIn plans to globally launch its AI ad tool, Accelerate, this autumn. This tool is expected to reduce campaign creation time significantly and improve ad performance, streamlining the ad creation process for advertisers.

Google Analytics 4 Introduces Conversion Differences Report

Google Analytics 4 has launched a Conversion Differences report to help advertisers reconcile discrepancies between GA4 and Google Ads data. This feature is vital for understanding campaign performance and ensuring accurate conversion tracking across platforms.

Amazon Expands Ad Offerings for Non-Amazon Sellers

Amazon is expanding its advertising options for non-Amazon sellers by introducing lead-generation ad forms. This allows businesses to capture customer interest across multiple digital properties, offering new opportunities to engage potential customers and drive platform engagement.

Amazon Extends Sponsored TV Ads to the UK

After success in the U.S., Amazon is rolling out Sponsored TV ads in the UK, allowing advertisers to reach audiences through targeted television advertising. This expansion leverages Amazon’s data capabilities to target specific demographics effectively.

Google Unveils Merchant Center Updates

Google has updated its Merchant Center with features to simplify product data management, including automatic fixes for common errors and enhanced conversion tracking capabilities. These updates aim to streamline the listing process, helping advertisers manage inventory and optimise campaigns more efficiently.

Google Releases Chrome Extension for Enhanced Conversions

Google has launched a new Chrome extension to aid in the setup of Enhanced Conversions, ensuring more accurate tracking and reporting of conversion data. This tool is designed to help advertisers implement Enhanced Conversions more easily.

Meta Enhances Ad Attribution

Meta has improved its ad attribution tools, enabling advertisers to differentiate between all conversions and first-time conversions. This enhancement provides deeper insights into advertising performance, helping brands better understand the effectiveness of their campaigns.

YouTube Tests Ad Injection in Videos

YouTube is testing a new ad strategy by injecting ads directly into videos to combat ad blockers. This method aims to maintain advertiser visibility and reach, even as ad-blocking technologies become more prevalent.

Google Ads Launches Google TV Network

Google Ads has introduced the Google TV network, featuring non-skippable ads across over 125 channels. Currently available in Germany and the USA, this network offers a unique advertising opportunity for brands to reach audiences through television.

Pinterest Adds AI Features to Ads

Pinterest has rolled out new AI-driven advertising features, including customised backgrounds and product collages. These enhancements aim to boost the creative potential of ads on the platform, allowing for more engaging and visually appealing formats.

Amazon Introduces Cookieless Ad-Targeting Solution

At the Cannes Lions Festival, Amazon unveiled a cookieless ad-targeting solution, aligning with the industry’s focus on privacy and data protection. This approach aims to maintain ad relevance without relying on traditional tracking methods, offering brands effective targeting in a privacy-conscious landscape.

TikTok Ad Spend Growth Slows

TikTok’s ad spend growth has slowed amid discussions of a potential ban. Marketers are advised to diversify their advertising strategies, explore alternative platforms, and focus on building a strong brand presence with engaging content to maintain customer loyalty. This highlights the importance of adaptability and risk management in digital marketing.

Social Media Highlights

Justice Department’s Case Against TikTok

The U.S. Justice Department has revealed new details in its case against TikTok, alleging that the app monitors user opinions on sensitive topics and shares this data with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The DOJ claims the existence of a tool called “Lark,” which tracks and flags user responses, raising concerns about potential political influence. As TikTok challenges the forced sell-off, the court will decide if the app poses a national security threat.

Rise of Forums in Google Search

Google’s search algorithms are increasingly prioritising forums, prompting a shift in organic search strategies. Businesses should engage in relevant industry forums, optimise their profiles, and encourage customer participation to enhance their online presence and search visibility.

Apple’s 30% Fee on Facebook and Instagram Ads

Apple has expanded its 30% fee on Facebook and Instagram ads globally, causing concern among advertisers about rising costs. This follows Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) initiative, which restricts platforms’ ability to track user data for targeted advertising. Marketers are now looking at alternative strategies, such as using first-party data and focusing on contextual advertising.

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