New Instagram Test Asks “Are Four Ads At Once Better Than a Single Ad?”

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Instagram is testing a new ad format that combines four ads from competing businesses into a single ad unit. 

In other words, users will be seeing four ads from different sources on a single screen to encourage users to consider a wider number of businesses and to encourage brands to deliver the best ad messages to entice customers. 

The latest multi-ad format is a new take on Instagram’s Multi-Advertiser ads, which grouped related sponsored posts together and showsed them to people who have recently expressed interest in related products or services. 

If you want to see the new ad format for yourself before you consider trying it out, you’re most likely to see them between Instagram Reels, the company’s take on short, TikTok-esque videos. 

Why Multiple Ads At Once?

Obviously, many brands and advertisers have expressed skepticism and outright cynicism about this ad format, suggesting it is an attempt to boost ad impressions without delivering increased value to advertisers. 

Of particular concern is the idea that the first ad in any of these multi-ad sets is likely to receive the majority of clicks, while ads in other positions are costing brands the same amount without leading to clicks. The fact that the ads appear following another piece of content, when users are likely to be unengaged with the app is another concern. 

Despite this, Instagram is already promoting the new ad format test in an announcement in the platform’s Help Center. In the announcement, the company said:

“Multi-advertiser ads help people discover and compare products from multiple businesses. This ad unit, available for selected placements on Facebook and Instagram, gives advertisers the opportunity to be discovered by people who have recently shown and interest in related products or businesses.”

As a test, this ad format is rolling out gradually and may not be available to all advertisers. If you want to ensure your ads do not appear in this type of format, you can opt out in the Settings menu.

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New Google Analytics 4 Report Identifies Your Most Engaged and Profitable Audiences

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Google Analytics 4 is rolling out a new report that will help businesses identify their most engaged and profitable audiences. 

The new report was revealed in a Google Analytics support page detailing its features.

So long as you’ve had at least one user in a specified time period, the report will provide details that make it easier to define who your most effective audience is. With this information, brands can then make more informed decisions about their marketing to improve future performance. 

Specifically, the new Audiences report will include six important metrics:

  • Active users
  • Average session duration
  • New users
  • Sessions
  • Views per session
  • Total revenue

To view details about any audience in the report, click the name of the audience and a tab containing more in-depth information will open.‘

These details are available to all sites using Google Analytics, though they may need to be added by an administrator. 

To view the report, users can sign into their GA4 account, select the ‘Reports’ button on the left-hand menu, and click the tab ‘User’.From there, look for ‘User Attributes’ and click ‘Audiences’. 

For more, view the Google support page about the new Google Analytics 4 Audiences report here.

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Twitter Is Rebranding to “X”

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Elon Musk is continuing to remake Twitter as he wants it with the biggest change yet – an entirely new brand name – X. 

Instead of Twitter, users visiting the social network on desktop devices will now be redirected to X.com, the new home of the platform for the foreseeable future. Some mobile users have already seen the update on their phone, while many others will see the icon transform from a cheerful blue bird to a sleek X in the coming days. 

In the announcement, CEO Linda Yaccarino said the new name represents their move to becoming more than a social network app to an “everything app”. 

As she shared in an X (formerly called a Tweet):

“It’s an exceptionally rare thing – in life or in business – that you get a second chance to make another big impression. Twitter made one massive impression and changed the way we communicate. Now, X will go further, transforming the global town square.”

“X is the future state of unlimited interactivity – centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking – creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities. Powered by AI, X will connect us in all the ways we’re just beginning to imagine.”

Analysts have expressed concern about the move, with some speculating that the social network is losing billions in brand recognition. 

It is also unclear if the brand name change will bring back any advertisers who had stepped away from running ads on Twitter following a rise in hate speech and offensive content over the last year. 

Additionally, the use of redirects and completely changing the domain name raises questions about how long embedded Twitter content on other sites will continue to function or if they will soon break as the Twitter domain becomes part of the past. 

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Instagram Threads Introduces First Paid Promotion Tools

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Threads may be the hottest new social network, but its fast development and release means there is little in the way of actual marketing tools for brands. In fact, the platform doesn’t currently serve ads of any kind.

However, the company announced it is launching tools to let marketers develop their own paid promotion opportunities until more robust advertising options arrive. 

Threads’ Paid Promotion Tools

In essence, Threads’ is borrowing Instagram’s already existing paid promotion tools for influencer campaigns and collaborations. These tools let brands and influencers properly tag content that may include paid promotions or professional collaborations to maintain transparency with users. 

Specifically, Threads requires that:

Brands use the branded content tools when working with influencers on sponsored content

Only brands have access to paid partnership labels to posts

Brands clearly disclose paid partnership collaborations

100 Million Users But No Ad Tools?

So far, Threads and its parent company, Meta, have been quiet about the development of advertising tools or services for the platform. With the announcement that Threads has already gained over 100 million users since its recent launch, though, it seems highly likely that proper ad tools are on their way. 

The current lack of these tools highlights how quickly Threads was developed in the face of Twitter’s ongoing collapse. Despite the limited features and tools for brands, however, the platform appears to be an immediate hit with users who have long been vocally unhappy with Twitter’s direction and leadership.

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Google Gives Advertisers More Control Over Where Their Ads Appear With Brand Exclusions and Restrictions

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Google is giving advertisers more control over where their ads appear in Search with two new features that have only been available to a small number of advertisers previously.

The company announced it will be bringing brand exclusions for Performance Max campaigns and broad match brand restrictions for all advertisers on Search. 

In the announcement, the company said that both pilot tests were “successful” and that bringing these tools to more advertisers would improve campaign performance. They also promise that using brand exclusions and restrictions will help improve reach by guaranteeing your ads are not appearing along controversial, irrelevant, or problematic search content.

Notably, these are one of the many new features on the platform which are being assisted with AI.

Google gave Search Engine Land two statements, one for each new ad feature:

“[Advertisers can] expand the reach of your brand campaigns with new brand restrictions for broad match. Broad match gives you the most relevant reach and conversions within your performance goals.”

“In the past, it may have been difficult to use broad match in campaigns with specific brand needs. That’s why we’re rolling out brand restrictions. This new feature will help you get the additional reach of broad match, while ensuring it is only matching to relevant brand traffic that you’ve specified.”

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LinkedIn to Test Targeted Ads During Streaming Content

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Would you like to be able to run video ads on streaming services that specifically target LinkedIn users? The social network is testing a new ad product that allows advertisers to reach LinkedIn’s 930 million users as they watch TV or movies at home. 

In a statement to Reuters, the Vice President of Marketing Solutions for LinkedIn, Penry Price, said: “In-stream video ads can change the way brands and buyers reach and engage their audiences.”

The new ad format comes following reports that the company’s ad platform is already up in sales by 8% year-on-year and is looking to further grow its advertising profits.

The new format could also be a boon for advertisers looking to increase their ROI by reaching their audiences with ads while they are most receptive. 

LinkedIn’s ad growth has been a bit of a surprise because it comes at a time when other ad platforms are being hit by falling ad budgets and an overall uncertain economy. Meanwhile, the social network’s ad platform continues to drive revenue from ad sales and subscriptions for recruiters, professionals, and B2B salespeople. 

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Twitter’s US Ad Revenue Plummets 59% From Last Year

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A recent internal presentation obtained by The New York Times suggests that advertisers continue to flee Twitter despite controversial owner Elon Musk passing the CEO position to Linda Yaccarino. 

Although Musk has publicly claimed that “almost all advertisers have returned,” The Times’ data indicates that advertising revenue has declined 59% year on year.

The report also notes that the company has repeatedly failed to meet weekly sales goals by up to 30%, suggesting that efforts to slow the loss of advertisers and bring brands back to the platform have been ineffective. 

Why Are Advertisers Leaving Twitter?

Since taking over the platform, Elon Musk has reduced content moderation and removed restrictions protecting vulnerable communities such as LGBTQ+ individuals from hate speech. 

This has led to a surge of hate speech, extremist content, and explicit content across the platform which has in turn made advertisers wary. Many are uncomfortable with the potential for their ads to be shown alongside objectionable content.

Additionally, the advertisers which have been brought in during Musk’s time have overwhelmingly included adult-oriented advertisers such as online gambling and marijuana brands. 

The fallout has led many major brands, including General Motors and Volkswagen, to fully suspend advertising on Twitter. 

Making matters worse for the company, those who are continuing to advertise on the platform are cutting spending and avoiding the more expensive advertising options. Insiders at the company have stated that high-value placements like banner ads on Twitter’s trends page are often going unsold while major advertisers, including Apple and Disney, have significantly reduced their advertising compared to past years.

Is Twitter Doomed?

Twitter is losing up to 56% of its ad revenue each week compared to the previous year. The biggest question is whether new CEO Linda Yaccarino can turn this trend around. 

While Yaccarino is less controversial than Musk, advertisers may still be concerned that Musk owns and is still involved with the inner workings of Twitter. Additionally, it is unclear whether Yaccarino intends to increase moderation or will continue Musk’s laissez-faire trend which has contributed to the toxi

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Microsoft Advertising Will Only Run Ads By Verified Advertisers Starting August 1

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Effective August 1st, Microsoft Advertising will stop running ads from anyone who is not a verified advertiser. 

The company announced the change this week, almost exactly a year after the Microsoft Ads Advertiser Identity Verification program was announced back in June 2022. 

At the time, the company said the verification program was part of their efforts to “enhance digital advertising safety” by reducing deceptive ads on the platform.

To ensure that any valid business can be verified in a timely manner, the process is automated and relies on government-issued personal identification or business-related documents for verification. 

Now that the majority of advertisers on the platform have been fully verified, the company is moving to stop running ads by those who have not undergone the verification process.

This will happen in a few steps:

  1. Starting July 1, new advertisers will be required to be verified before Microsoft Advertising will serve any of their ads. 
  2. Starting July 15th, brands are encouraged to contact Microsoft support if they have not been verified and have not received an email inviting them to become verified.
  3. Lastly, on August 1, Microsoft Advertising will begin only serving ads from verified advertisers.

What Information Microsoft Advertising Gives Users

Once verified, all ads from a Microsoft advertiser include information about the organization(s) behind the ad. This includes the advertiser’s name and location, information about targeting details used to show the ad, and who is paying for the ad. 

For more, read the newly updated help document from Microsoft Advertising about advertiser identity verification.

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Google Is Introducing Two New Goal-Based Ad Campaigns For Video Ads

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Google is adding two new campaign types for video ads aimed at driving video views or generating demand. 

The company announced the video-first campaign types during the Google Marketing Live event and said the ads would have placements on all Google-owned and operated properties. 

Below, we will talk a little about what each campaign type offers and when you can expect to try them for yourself.

Video View Campaigns

These campaigns are geared towards a singular purpose (driving views) and early testing shows these ads are successful. According to Google, one study using Video view campaigns saw 40% more views on average compared to in-stream skippable cost-per-view campaigns. 

The video view campaign type is also surprisingly versatile, allowing for a variety of formats including in-stream ads, in-feed ads, YouTube Shorts, and more. 

The beta is expected to launch next month.

Demand Generation Campaigns

Demand gen campaigns are one of Google’s latest creations using AI to better engage users and drive action. 

Like Video view campaigns, these campaigns will be available for YouTube Shorts, in-stream and in-feed ads, Google Discover, and Gmail ad placements. 

The main draw of Demand gen campaigns for advertisers will be the ability to create Lookalike audience segments based on “seed lists” using data from Google and YouTube users. 

Advertisers can then set their segments to be narrow (2.5% reach), balanced (5% reach), or broad matches (10% reach). 

Conclusion

These two campaign types offer focused approaches for video-first campaigns to accomplish specific goals. While they may not seem revolutionary, these will likely become important campaign options for advertisers looking to expand their reach and find receptive audiences. 

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Yelp Announces Its “Biggest Update In Years”

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Yelp has revealed 3 new features aimed to make it easier for brands to connect with customers and to improve user trust in the brands they find on the platform. 

These three features, which include a satisfaction guarantee program, implementing AI to deliver a better search experience, and more immersive videos, make up what Yelp is called its “most significant update in years.”

Below, we will explore each new feature and when you can expect to see it for yourself:

Yelp Guaranteed

What is it?: Yelp Guaranteed is a new customer satisfaction program that guarantees up to $2,500 back if you are not happy with home improvement work done by a verified business. Specifically, the announcement says that you’’ be able to submit a claim if you have problems resolving an issue directly with the business. 

Additionally, the company says verified businesses will receive a badge and may be prioritized in future search results on the site. 

When will you see it?: This program is gradually rolling out to both users and businesses in San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Seattle, and Washington D.C. though the announcement says they hope to expand the program nationwide soon. 

To be a part of the Yelp Guaranteed program, your business must be a Request a Quote-enabled advertiser in these industries:

  • Movers
  • Plumbers
  • HVAC
  • Contractors
  • Landscapers
  • Electricians

Yelp says it hopes to be able to include other markets in the near future.

Enhancing Yelp Search With AI and Large Language Models

What is it?: Yelp is in the process of improving its search tools to include a slew of new abilities using AI trained with Large Language Models. Through this, the company has been able to better understand search intent and deliver  more precise and personalized results,

The first wave of these AI-enabled features to be revealed includes highlighting the most relevant parts of reviews for your needs, providing search suggestions based on search intent, clickable category tags, and even a way for the site to “Surprise Me” with dining suggestions.

When will you see it?: The first wave of these AI-powered search features seems to be rolling out to users across Yelp now, though the announcement suggests you can expect to hear about more AI-led features soon.

New User Engagement Features

What is it?: Yelp is using new visual and interactive features to make its platform more engaging and encourage users to share their own opinions and reactions. It will do this by introducing new reactions, new ways to share media in reviews, and providing ideas for generating more effective and informative reviews.

Specifically, the announcement highlights these three new features:

  • You can now include high-resolution videos up to 12 seconds long along with your text reviews and uploaded pictures.
  • Yelp will now suggest topics users may want to discuss when writing a review. Such as “food,” “service,” or “ambiance.”Once a reviewer has covered these topics, Yelp will mark each topic with a green checkmark. 
  • Respond with reviews with a wider range of review reactions beyond just “Useful,” “Funny,” and “Cool.” Now, users can select from more options including “Helpful,” “Thanks,” “Love This,” and “Oh no.”

For more about Yelp’s biggest update in years, read the full announcement here.

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