This month’s Digital Roundup focuses on the latest trends and updates in digital. We include Google’s new conversational artificial intelligence and changes to TikTok’s monetization model. Stay tuned to keep up-to-date:
Google Updates Its Link Guidance
Google recently updated its guidelines on linking correctly. We’ve compiled some key points below.
Google recommends that you use tags with the “href” attribute to allow Google to crawl them. Google’s link guidance lists some alternatives.
Google will use the title attribute to replace the missing anchor text. It is essential to ensure that both the anchor text and title quality accurately reflect the purpose of the link.
You can also find guidance on creating good anchor text for Google, highlighting bad examples such as “click here” and “read more.” Anchor text should be clear enough to allow users to understand the link’s purpose and decide whether they want to follow it. To see if the anchor text is clear enough, you can read it alone. It is a good idea to have less anchor text.
It is important to remember that links are contextualized by the words immediately before and after them. Use natural language. Could you keep it simple and understandable?
Google Launches Bard – Its Version Of ChatGPT
Google’s experimental conversational AI services are set to become more widely accessible shortly. Bard uses a lightweight LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications), announced by Google in 2021, to power its next-generation language and conversation capabilities. Google stated that the Bard-specific version of LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) requires “significantly less computing energy.”
Images showing how Bard will integrate into search have been published. Bard is currently not integrated into Google search, but integration has been promised.
Meta launches Meta Verified Subscription Services for Blue Verification Badge via Facebook and Instagram.
Meta, the parent company behind Instagram and Facebook, has launched Meta Verified. This subscription service allows users to obtain the highly sought-after blue verification badge for as low as $15 per month.
The blue checkmark used to be only available to public figures. However, anyone can get the badge by verifying their identity with government-issued ID cards. The service is currently only available in New Zealand and Australia, and there are plans to expand internationally.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, stated that the new service focuses on “increasing authenticity and security across our services.” It offers benefits like improved protection against impersonation attacks and direct access to customer support. This is in response to lower advertising revenues caused by Apple’s stricter privacy policies on iOS.
Meta hopes to increase its revenue stream by offering a subscription service and decreasing its advertising income dependence. Advertisers who want to reach a loyal and engaged audience could benefit from increased authenticity and security.
Snap and Twitter have also launched subscription services. Twitter Blue offers the blue verification badge.
TikTok’s Creativity Programme Beta Offers Monetization Options for Longer Content
TikTok’s Beta Creativity Program Beta is now open to invite-only users. It aims to assist creators in monetizing original, high-quality content that lasts more than one minute.
The program requires you are at least 18, have a minimum number of video views and followers, and maintain a good-standing profile.
The program is available in the US and France at present. More regions will be added soon.
Invited creators are granted access to the updated dashboard to monitor video eligibility, estimated revenues, performance metrics, analytics, and more.
The TikTok creator fund pays creators based on views and engagement of their videos. Meanwhile, the TikTok Creativity program aims to increase revenue potential and open up more real-world opportunities.
The TikTok Creativity program is only open to creators who meet specific criteria.
Both programs are designed to support creators and provide monetization opportunities. However, the Creativity program aims to offer creators higher earning potential and real-world opportunities.
Facebook Ads introduces new features to enhance targeting and shopping capabilities.
Instagram now allows businesses to choose whether they want to manually or automatically tag products from their shop catalog in single-image ads.
This feature allows customers to shop directly from their ads. Customers can add product tags to quickly find out more about the product and its price and make a purchase now from the Instagram app.
Requests for Branded Content ads on posts that feature your business
If your business has been tagged in another Facebook post, you may now ask to have that post promoted in a Facebook Branded Content ad. Facebook will notify you to let the owner of the original post know whether you accept or deny your request. This feature is designed to help businesses increase their reach, gain more exposure and enhance their collaboration with other brands and influencers.
Reporting breakdowns for Advantage+ App campaigns
Advantage+ App campaigns now have detailed reporting. This allows businesses to gain a deeper understanding of the Performance of their ads and how different delivery metrics (e.g., age, gender, placement, impression device) affect them. This information can be used to optimize ad campaigns and better target your audience.
Automated targeting of potential travelers
Facebook will now prioritize ads delivered to travelers rather than businesses manually selecting this option. This feature is particularly relevant for companies in the hospitality and travel industries, as it allows them to reach potential customers actively looking for travel products and services.
Upcoming Google Performance Maxim Features
Performance Max will offer advertisers more control over how ads are served and greater insight into campaigns’ Performance.
Google has made campaign-level brand exclusions a critical feature. This will allow advertisers to reduce wasteful traffic to brands. This feature allows you to select specific brands from the UI to exclude from Performance Max campaigns. If desired, it includes misspellings, searches for foreign languages, and your brand. These lists can be combined into shared lists for use in your campaigns.
This feature only covers some household names Google knows about. Advertisers can request a brand to appear within Google Ads if it isn’t on the list.
A new set of budget-pacing insights will be the second feature. These valuable stats will give advertisers an overview of their campaigns’ Performance and potential future Performance. The key metrics are campaign spend, projected spending, and your current and predicted conversion performance.
These insights and customizable recommendations are intended to give advertisers a quick view of how their campaigns are progressing, whether they will prove profitable in the future, and what budget redistribution opportunities may exist to increase conversions.
TikTok in Tip Top Shape – Platform Storms ahead in Engagement Rate
According to a benchmark report that surveyed 14 industries, while other platforms have suffered or stagnated, TikTok continues its rise with a staggering 5.69% median engagement per video.
After Facebook’s year-on-year drop to 0.060%, Instagram maintained its 3-year streak of -30% to 0.477%, while Twitter remained at 0.035%. These results are familiar to everyone who lives under rocks. TikTok commands the most attention, perhaps due to its ongoing data issues.
We can see that Higher Education is at the top of the leaderboard with 16.26%, far more than Sports Teams (which stands at 9.18%). We are seeing more evidence of TikTok’s utility, even though they are not the most frequent posters (perhaps a sign of quality over quantity).
