PPC News in January 2020 - Videos, Podcasts, Infographics, PDFs, News and more
Here's the top PPC news in January 2020. Everything you missed in one place.
Each month, we do the hard work for you and gather all the best articles, videos, podcasts and infographics to come out in the world of PPC. We hope this will help you keep up to date with the fast-paced changes in the industry.
Here's the PPC news you may have missed last month in January. Enjoy!
Top PPC Videos in January 2020
How ads follow you around the internet
Vox covers breaks down the history of the cookie and how they were developed in the 1990's to better improve the internet. This same third-party cookie is now under threat, complicating tracking for advertisers.
Why big tech is getting into finance
Apple has a credit card. Facebook is trying to launch its own currency. Google has a checkout system. The real reason big tech wants to get into finance though is simple: they want your purchasing data for ads.
A Google Ads Deep Dive for 2020
The legendary Paid Search Podcast goes on a deep dive exploring several topics that have implications for 2020, including BMM keywords, bidding strategy and more.
Top PPC Podcasts in January 2020
Why SEO needs PPC and PPC needs SEO
PPC powerhouse Navah Hopkins joins the podcast to discuss the harmonious relationship between SEO and PPC. They cover why PPC and SEO complement one another, how to sync your PPC and SEO teams and more.
Are all Google Ads now deceptive?
With Google changing the formatting of it's search results, paid placement/advertisements are now more indistinguishable from organic results than ever. Could such intentional confusion be considered "deceptive"?
Beyond the basics of PPC & Search Advertising - The Glint Standard
An overview of snall adjustments you can make to advance your PPC and search strategies.
Top PPC PDFs in January 2019
SEO and Intent 2020: New study reveals true state of search
The study finds that the majority of respondents are not receptive to ads in the search results, with 85% referring to click on organic results. Written content is still preferred (55%) to images and video, despite their emphasis in the search results.
Amazon Ads News
Amazonâs massive earnings beat should renew its growth story
(30 Jan 2020) - Amazon crushed its Q4 earnings, sending its stock up 10% in after hours trading and showing the company's investment in 1-day shipping paid off this holiday season. The company is now the 4th company to join the club of US companies with a trillion dollar valuation (following Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft). One of Amazon's fastest growing sectors is digital advertising.
Amazon Music Has Over 55 Million Listeners, and It's Growing Fast
(24 Jan 2020) - Amazon is pushing its music streaming services through Prime Membership as a primary growth channel, and closing in on Apple music which has 60 million users.
Amazon in India: Jeff Bezos announces $1bn Indian investment
(15 Jan 2020) - Bezos said that Amazon will invest $1bn (ÂŁ770m) in digitising small and medium businesses - allowing them to sell and operate online. India is set to become a huge growth market for the company.
Amazon is expanding its video-advertising business
(14 Jan 2020) - The online retail giant is in talks with multiple publishers to sell some of their ad inventories on other streaming platforms through its demand-side platform, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. The move would enable Amazon's marketers to reach broader audiences while still using its valuable data to target and measure their ads.
Google's greatest worry in 2020 is Amazon
(14 Jan 2020) - While other companies have traditionally been painted as being Google's primary competition â Microsoft on the productivity front, Apple or maybe even Samsung on the mobile end, and Facebook or any number of messaging apps from a social, news, and general time-spent-online perspective â Amazon, above any other entity, has the power and reach to drive a spear straight into the center of Google's heart. And as 2020 gets going, that possibility seems more pressing than ever.
Amazonâs Twitch not meeting ad revenue expectations
(8 Jan 2020) - While Amazonâs Twitch dominates the live-streaming landscape, a new report from The Information citing people familiar with company financials says it only translated into a modest $230 million in ad revenue for 2018 and a midyear annual projection of $300 million for 2019.
(7 Jan 2020) - Amazon joined other major tech companies this month to ban political ads. But despite the ban, users still find many products on the site with political messaging.
What to expect from Amazon in 2020
(1 Jan 2020) -Â In 2019 we saw the company double down on Echo devices, launch HD and 3D music streaming and post record-breaking sales on Black Friday and pre-Christmas. In 2020 the company faces some risks from anti-trust investigation in Europe and the United States, but nevertheless is set to see significant growth.
Facebook Ads News
Facebook users are seeing fewer ads and clicking more
(29 Jan 2020) - Q4 earnings showed that ad revenue continues to outpace user growth. Median daily clicks rose from 17-19 over the last six months, whereas impressions fell 5%.
Facebook 'off activity' tool to delete data-sharing opens to all users
(28 Jan 2020) - Facebook made its 'Off-Facebook Activity' tool available to all users worldwide this month. The tool gives users the ability to manage and delete data that third-party websites and app share with Facebook.
Vodafone quits Facebook's Libra currency
(21 Jan 2020) - Vodafone has become the latest company to leave Facebook's digital currency project, Libra. The Libra Association has seen an exodus of backers including Paypal and Mastercard amid regulatory scrutiny.
Social shopping is taking off, Facebook is the biggest beneficiary
(18 Jan 2020) - Facebook is continuing to invest in Facebook Marketplace, turning it into a revamped version of Craigslist. Instagram Checkout is taking off too.
Facebook backs off controversial plan to sell ads in WhatsApp
(16 Jan 2020) - Facebook is backing away from efforts to sell ads in WhatsApp, in a retreat from a controversial plan that drove the creators of the popular messaging service to resign more than 18 months ago. It will seek other ways to monetize the messaging service used by 1.5 billion people.
New Facebook design begins rolling out
(10 Jan 2020) - The social network has started giving a small number of users access to Facebook's new look.
Facebook says encrypting Messenger by default will take years
(10 Jan 2020) - Mark Zuckerberg promised default end-to-end encryption throughout Facebook's platforms. Nearly a year later, Messenger's not even close.
Facebook launches new page management history feature for admins
(9 Jan 2020) - The feature is only visible to people who help manage your Page. Admins can click on the âSettingsâ tab at the top of the Page and then click âPage Management Historyâ link in the left column.
(8 Jan 2020) - Any advertiser looking to run housing, employment or credit ads will no longer be allowed to target by age, gender or zip code.
Facebook adds new features to Instant Articles
(3 Jan 2020) - Facebook has rolled out updates to Instant Articles for publishers, including a new recirculation and navigation surface, smarter CTA and ad placements, and support for Facebook Stories.
Is your brand ready? Marketing through OTT messaging
(1 Jan 2020) - OTT messaging platforms such as Messenger, Whatsapp and the DM capabilties of Instagram allow people to send instant messages back and forth through the internet. Here the best use cases for each OTT messaging platform are laid out.
What to expect from Facebook in 2020
(1 Jan 2020) - While Facebook had a rough 2019, the company has many long-term projects in the works that could come to fruition in 2020, including its own voice assistant, unified messaging across Messenger, Instagram and Whatsapp, cloud gaming, its own OS system and its own cryptocurrency and payment system.
Google Ads News
Google switches to standard delivery for all campaign types
(30 Jan 2020) - Google announced it will switch to standard delivery for all search campaigns (not just search). This includes shopping, shared, display, video, app and hotel campaigns. The changes takes place in April.
Google Ads just look like search results now
(23 Jan 2020) - Google rolled out and then backtracked on an update that changed the look of its ads in desktop. Basically, they looked exactly the same as organic results. While Google reverted the change, its an indication of where Google would like its SERP results to go, one in which paid and organic is barely distinguishable.
Googleâs latest measurement restrictions will make life harder for mobile marketers
(23 Jan 2020) - Amid heightened pressure to meet public demand for data privacy, Google has quietly gone about implementing further restrictions within its vast marketing ecosystem. And this time, mobile app marketers will feel the pinch.
Google pushing Privacy Sandbox as alternative to third-party cookies
(17 Jan 2020) - Google wants ad targeting, measurement and fraud prevention to be in line with the standards set in its privacy sandbox. The company claims this will get rid of improper tracking while continuing to allow ad targeting within Chrome.
Marketers, ad agencies ask Google not to kill cookies too soon
(16 Jan 2020) - Marketers and advertising agencies have expressed alarm over Googleâs plan to phase out support of third-party cookies in its Chrome internet browser. Cookies are a way to gather information on internet activity and form the backbone of digital advertising.
New organic âPopular Productsâ listings launched in mobile search results
(15 Jan 2020) - The listings are powered by product schema and retailer feeds submitted to the Google Merchant Center.
Google Ads Introduces Bid Simulator Support for Smart Bidding
(13 Jan 2020) - Google Ads is rolled out bid simulator support for the Target ROAS bid strategy, as well as a new budget simulator. This is the first time bid simulator support is available for a smart bidding campaign. Previously, they were only available for manual bidding or Target CPA.
How to challenge Google Ads trademark disputes
(8 Jan 2020) - A few of the best practices to follow if you see your trademark being misused by a business.
What to expect from Google in 2020
(1 Jan 2020) - Google is pushing its Assistant in 2020, taking advantage of the wealth of search data it has at its disposal. Here's what to expect from the search giant in the upcoming year.
Instagram Ads News
The DEFINITIVE guide to scheduling your Instagram posts
(31 Jan 2020) - Posting content regularly and consistently on Instagram is a chore. What if you could schedule all your posts for the month in advance without wasting hours of time? This guide shows you how.
Instagram removes IGTV button, only 1% downloaded app
(18 Jan 2020) - After only 7 million users downloaded the IGTV button in 18 months, Instagram is dropping the app. Compared with TikTok's over 1 billion downloads, it looks like an admission of failure.
Meet the man removing likes from Instagram
(17 Jan 2020) - Adam Mosseri, chieftain of Instagram, wants to keep the platform a safe, special space. That means learning from the mistakes of its parent company: Facebook.
Instagram messages on the web could pose an encryption challenge
(15 Jan 2020) - Facebook is building end-to-end encryption for all its messaging apps, but others label this a security risk.
More creative options in Boomerang
(10 Jan 2020) - Instagram added new creative options in its Boomerang feature this month, bringing its editing and trimming options in line with Snapchat and TikTok.
Instagram could become bigger source of revenue than Facebook's main app
(5 Jan 2020) - Instagram has become Facebook's main revenue grower. Expect ad prices to grow too.
Microsoft Ads News
Microsoft Advertising ads label in Bing search blend with organic also
(27 Jan 2020) - Google received lots of criticism for making its ads in the SERPs look more like organic, but a close look at the Bing search engine reveals that Microsoft does the same exact thing.
Microsoft vs Slack: New global ad campaign for Teams
(17 Jan 2020) - Microsoft will launched a new ad campaign for its Teams tool this month and is aggressively targeting Slack to become the go-to chat software for the workplace.
Microsoft Advertising to deprecate average position after all
(15 Jan 2020) - Microsoft has followed in Google's footsteps and is also getting rid of average position for its ads. The metric will be phased out in April.Microsoft wants to help retailers build media businesses
(10 Jan 2020) - Five months after its acquisition of vendor marketing platform PromoteIQ, Microsoft has announced a new self-service marketing platform for retailers and brands. The platform will help retailers manage digital marketing campaigns from brands trying to promote products to shoppers.
How to track offline conversions in Microsoft Advertising
(7 Jan 2020) - A walk through importing offline conversion data into Microsoft Advertising.
Standard text ads in Microsoft Advertising will live on a bit longer
(6 Jan 2020) - The company announced a three-month reprieve for advertisers still using the format.
Microsoft Advertising launches sweepstakes for advertisers
(3 Jan 2020) - Entries are open for agencies in the U.S., Canada (excluding Quebec), U.K., Ireland, Netherlands and Germany.
Pinterest Ads News
New 'try on' feature for lipstick products, signals growth of VR ads
(28 Jan 2020) - A new Pinterest feature allows users to 'virtually' try on lipstick on their photos. To use the new feature, Pinners will first open Pinterestâs smart camera, âLens,â while in Search, then click âTry itâ to explore the different lipstick shades available. To shop the products, you just swipe up.
Google's Collections feature copies Pinterest
(23 Jan 2020) - Google Images is turning into a version of Pinterest, with a new Collections feature allowing users to save any photo, map or location into groups called 'collections'.
What to know about shopping on Pinterest
(23 Jan 2020) - A rundown of Pinterest shopping features. The company is leveraging visual recognition technology and merging digital and in-store physical realities.
Pinterest now 3rd largest social media app in USA
(15 Jan 2020) - Pinterest surpassed Snapchat as the third largest social media app in the United States, according to an eMarketer report this month. It sent the price of Pinterest stock up 10%.
Pinterest Academy: What it is and who should use it?
(10 Jan 2020) - Pinterest Academy has recently launched an e-learning tool with a range of courses designed for marketing teams. Itâs free and accessible to businesses in the U.S., Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany and France.
How Pinterest is pitching its ad business in UK
(3 Jan 2020) - Pinterest has been sharpening up its proposition, improving its ad business to show how buyers run campaigns in order to capture more money from U.K. agency budgets.
Pinterest bulls see a marketerâs gold mine in the making
(3 Jan 2020) - Pinterestâs pitch for marketers is that, although advertisements often act as a distraction on other sites, more users come to its site with an intent to make a purchase. That makes ads an inherent part of the Pinterest userâs experience, rather than something negative, the company said in its prospectus.
Social media is fast becoming your customersâ product research tool, so look beyond Google
(1 Jan 2020) - Historically, consumers have always headed to search engines to engage with products, leading to the rise of SEO and PPC. But users are increasingly moving to social media first, particularly Generation Z, and visual search apps like Pinterest are set to benefit.
Snapchat Ads News
(30 Jan 2020) - Snapchat is betting that narcissism drives resonance for its new weekly videos that put you and your friendsâ customizable Bitmoji avatars into a flurry of silly animated situations.
New data on Gen Z brand expectations
(29 Jan 2020) - Gen Z is much more likely to make socially conscious purchases, meaning staying loyal to brands whose values align their theirs, according to new Snap research.
Direct-response advertisers report early success with dynamic ads
(20 Jan 2020) - The continuously updating ads directly link to product catalogs and are automatically targeted to Snapchat users based on their past behavior. Snapchat officially launched this ad product just before the 2019 holiday season after a year of beta testing.
As presidential candidates spend big on advertising, only a few invest in Snapchat
(11 Jan 2020) - During a time when Twitter and Spotify have announced they will no longer run political ads, Snapchat may be the only ad platform left where politicians can advertise toward young people.
Snap acquires deep fake startup
(10 Jan 2020) - Snapchatâs parent company, Snap, has quietly scooped up AI Factory â the computer vision startup that Snapchat collaborated with on its recently launched âCameosâ video mode.
6 things Snap does better than Facebook
(2 Jan 2020) - Snap remains an underdog in the social networking market, but it still does at least half a dozen things better than Facebook, including Generation Z appeal, more growth in Europe and North America, fewer privacy concerns and more.
Twitter Ads News
Twitter users can now react to direct messages with emojis
(23 Jan 2020) - Twitterâs latest feature draws inspiration from Instagram and Facebook, giving users the ability to react to direct messages with a simple emoji.
Twitter says goodbye to Audience Insights
(8 Jan 2020) - Audience Insights initially launched back in 2015 to give users more in-depth data about their followers, including demographic profiles, purchase behavior insights, mobile device usage stats and more. Now, when users go to view Insights in Twitter Analytics, they will see a notification that the feature is being removed.
(6 Jan 2020) - Twitter has launched a new hub for academic researchers in an effort to provide more access to information and support around its APIs.
YouTube Ads News
YouTube releases 2019 ads of the year
(29 Jan 2020) - YouTube has released the top ads that people in the U.S. chose to watch on its platform in 2019. They include a heavy emphasis on tech brands, the Super Bowl and celebrities.
Study of YouTube comments finds evidence of radicalization
(29 Jan 2020) - The research presented at ACM FAT 2020 indicates that YouTube is contributing to radicalizing users by exposing them to far-right ideologies.
YouTube brand safety crisis shows advertisers adopting nuanced approach
(21 Jan 2020) - Without tighter controls on YouTube, advertisers are effectively stuck in a game of whack-a-mole; they are finding out after the fact that their ads are appearing on videos that are not to their suiting, which are then blacklisted.
How much YouTube pays influencers for 100,000, 1 million, and 150 million views
(14 Jan 2020) - The numbers are not as high as people expect, with between $500-$1000 per month on videos with 100,000 views and videos with 10 million views just 2,000. But YouTube influencers often get most of their money through brand sponsorship.
YouTube starts limiting ad targeting, data collection on kids content
(6 Jan 2020) - YouTube now officially limits the amount of data it and creators can collect on content intended for children, following promises made in November and a costly $170 million FTC fine in September.
Top PPC Infographic in January 2020
Finally, our favorite PPC infographic this month: A solid visualization of the difference between advertising on Facebook and on Google.
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