A new episode of Marketing O’Clock has arrived! Hosts Jess Budde, Greg Finn, Marc Saltarelliand Christine “Shep” Zirnheld are here with the digital marketing news and pick up lines you need to know.
If you can’t listen on Spotify, check out the video version of this week’s episode on the YouTube Search Engine Log channel.
Microsoft Advertising launches auto-applied ad suggestions
The controversial new feature, rolling out in April, will use variations of existing ad copy and targeting to automatically generate ads for ad groups in Microsoft Advertising accounts. Anyone wishing to disable the feature can do so in the account settings tab.
Advertisers who have this feature enabled can find ad suggestions in their recommendations tab. There they will have the option to edit, pause or ignore them before they automatically go live after 14 days.
Anyone who registers will also receive an email notification when ad suggestions go live.
Instagram will allow draft stories
Instagram will soon launch Story Drafts so users can save Stories before posting them live, allowing social media managers to ensure Stories are posted at the optimal time for their audience or event.
Google Ads clarifies first-party data requirements
Google Ads Link Ginny Marvin clarified Google’s policies regarding first-party data in response to a tweet from Navah Hopkins.
Hi Navah, Thanks for your patience. Subdomains, country TLDs, and vanity URLs owned by the same company would be considered first-party context. (I think for vanity URLs there is a limit of 5 domains per owner set.)
— Ginny Marvin (@GinnyMarvin) March 19, 2021
Information collected by forms about subdomains, country TLDs, and vanity URLs owned by the same company is considered first-party data and can be used to drive audiences in Google Ads.
Microsoft introduces responsive ad unit for car sales
Automotive ads, currently in open beta, may appear in Bing search results or on the Microsoft Advertising Network. These ads use a keyword-free campaign structure and use product information provided by the advertiser to match relevant queries.
Advertisers in the US or UK who want to try automotive ads can contact their Microsoft Advertising representative or apply. in line.
Catch of the week
David Kyle’s client received this email from a Google representative and it makes us really, really sad. Keep your friends close and your customers closer.
Here’s an email from a rogue Googler at my agency, telling him that we “missed” enabling Auto-Applied Updates, which is an important setting, that he urgently needs activate, and asks him to do so by EOD. 😠 #ppcchat #googleads pic.twitter.com/8ULR9Nhr7A
—David Kyle (@DavidKyle) March 25, 2021
ICYMI
Forget what you heard Shaun Elley can confirm that Microsoft Shopping campaigns can (and do!) work.
PSA – Microsoft (bing) shopping can work (seen a lot of nonsense recently).
These campaigns were launched about a week ago as a test – currently at around 3.5 x roas on that $5,000 after the first week #ppcchat pic.twitter.com/2e0TxDxeaq
—Shaun Elley (@selley2134) March 25, 2021
lightning tower
We answer your important questions about digital marketing during our lightning segment:
- Who will you turn to the next time you need a creative cue?
- What should Facebook advertisers know about iOS 14.5 updates?
- When will Twitter Spaces be available for desktop?
- Where can your customers now find a list of your competitors?
- Why does Google Ads recommend advertisers to use competitors’ brand terms in advertising content?
- How can you see the actual data of acquired stock columns on YouTube?
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Featured image credit: Samantha Hanson
