Google to end Universal Analytics in 2023
Users will have to adopt Google Analytics 4 which doesn't rely on cookies
George Nguyen is the Director of SEO Editorial at Wix, where he manages the Wix SEO Learning Hub. His career is focused on disseminating best practices and reducing misinformation in search. George formerly served as an editor for Search Engine Land, covering organic and paid search.
Google pauses activity for advertisers based in Russia
Russia-based brands will not be able to use Google to reach Russian audiences or audiences worldwide.
LinkedIn announces a new podcast network
This creates opportunities for B2B brands to get podcast content in front of professional audiences.
YouTube to double down on Shorts in 2022
YouTube's roadmap for this year includes enhancements to Shorts and more robust shopping experience features.
Google announces new features for Search Ads 360
Google announces a revamp to its enterprise campaign management platform.
Augmented reality marketing expands with new Pinterest Try On for furniture
The new feature is already working to improve the social commerce play for retailers like Crate & Barrel, CB2, Walmart, West Elm and Wayfair.
Google’s Topics API provokes a range of reactions
Some praise Google's replacement for FLoC while others are quick to point out its limitations.
FLoC is off the table as Google switches to targeting by Topics
Forget FLoC says Google, betting instead on topics of interest as a means of segmenting and targeting audiences.
Inclusive marketing resources to strengthen your brand’s messaging
Consumers aren’t just buying your product, they’re buying your brand values. Inclusive marketing can help you deliver those values to more audiences.
Microsoft Advertising adds Asian-, Latin-, Women-owned and Diabetic-friendly business attributes
The four new business attributes join the 32 Marketing with Purpose business attributes introduced in September.
The cost of ignoring website accessibility
Non-compliant sites are vulnerable to lawsuits, but SEOs can help protect them by advocating for accessibility, which can serve both differently-abled audiences as well as your business goals.
Facebook says short posts have the most views while hate speech drops on platform
The third quarter transparency reports give us more insight into the platform, but it’s unclear whether the company’s wide-ranging efforts to restore its reputation will have the desired effect.
Four new personas are changing how marketers reach and relate to customers
Luxury shoppers, digital nomads, empowered activists and self-care enthusiasts proliferated during the pandemic and may be here to stay.
Yelp introduces “Proof of vaccination required” and “Staff fully vaccinated” profile attributes
Users will be able to filter searches by those attributes.
Twitter’s Shop Module pilot adds a product carousel to profiles
Shop Modules are rolling out with a handful of brands in the U.S., and only domestic English-language users on iOS can currently see it.
Google’s Pandu Nayak shares his roadmap for MUM
Google's new AI engine will help users get responses to complex queries with fewer searches.
Google simplifies YouTube ad creation for SMBs
The new workflow is now available globally on mobile and desktop.
LinkedIn introduces Event Ads and “boosted” posts
Posts can now be promoted directly from a brand’s LinkedIn page, and the platform is also launching a new Event Analytics tool alongside its Event Ads.
Yelp announces Custom Location Targeting and more features to expand reach for local businesses
Other eatures include budget recommendations and Connect Audience Model
WordPress proposes blocking FLoC by default
It’s estimated that 40% of all sites use WordPress. If the proposal is implemented, that could be a devastating blow to Google’s ad-targeting capabilities
YouTube experiments with automated lists of products detected in videos
The lists are an extension of Google's recently announced commerce experiments.
Google will not build or use alternate identifiers to track users across the web
Google reiterated that its products will use Federated Learning of Cohorts to enable advertisers to target audiences.
Google’s search choice screen had virtually no effect on search market share, perhaps by design
Auction participants say the model favors ad-heavy search engines and redirects their profits to Google.
Australia’s showdown with Google has implications for domestic businesses
The proposed legislation could also create an untenable position for search engines in Australia.
SEO year in review 2020: COVID forces platforms to adapt their local and ecommerce offerings, and more
Even a pandemic couldn’t slow down developments in the search industry. Here’s our recap of the year’s most important stories and news.
Biased language models can result from internet training data
The controversy around AI researcher Timnit Gebru’s exit from Google, and what biased language models may mean for the search industry.
Google accused of colluding with Facebook and abusing monopoly power in new lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed by 10 state attorneys general, claims that Google made a deal with Facebook to curtail header bidding so that it could continue to dominate the online ad space.
Google uses augmented reality to let users try on cosmetics
Google will also be showing product recommendations from influencers in the mobile Google Shopping section and Discover feed.
What would it take for new search engines to succeed?
Neeva and You.com seek to pick up segments of users overlooked by Google, and with shifting user preferences and increased governmental scrutiny, there might be an opportunity.
Microsoft Clarity, the company’s tool for visualizing user experience, is out of beta
The tool provides site owners with visual heatmaps, session playbacks, filters and metrics to help them improve their user experience.
Meet Google Analytics 4: Google’s vision for the future of analytics
The new Analytics adds AI-powered insights, tracks users across devices and provides more granular data controls.
See how visits to retail, grocery, workplaces are trending by area with Google Mobility Reports
How to use Google (and Apple) mobility reports to see how movements have shifted during the pandemic.
Content marketing in times of disruption
What brands need to consider to produce timely content and stay relevant during market upheavals.
Replay: BuzzFeed SEO lead talks the future of AMP
What SEOs need to consider before Google lifts the AMP restriction on the Top Stories carousel.
Data roundup: Resources to help you market more effectively during COVID-19
Insights to help you evaluate and adapt your SEO, content and PPC efforts in a rapidly changing environment.
Combine location data and external trends to build diverse audience strategies [Video]
Consumers are responding to unemployment and economic uncertainty, which may make your pre-pandemic audience segments less reliable.
Google’s new Podcasts Manager tool offers deeper data on listener behavior
It’s one step closer to the podcast analytics advertisers have been waiting for.
Why businesses that prioritized martech, data and organization are faring better during COVID [Video]
The struggles of companies without solid data practices are now exacerbated, said Brad Geddes in this clip from Live with Search Engine Land.
Anchor launches a video conference-to-podcast conversion tool
The Spotify-owned company’s new tool may help businesses get more out of their webinars and online conference content.
4 takeaways for content marketers in the time of COVID-19
Brands are playing it safe with their messaging, but there are still opportunities to serve and engage audiences.