October PPC news

Say hello to Facebook Attribution

Everyone who puts money into paid advertising wants to know exactly which channels contribute most to meeting the goals they have set. Facebook has a default attribution model that credits conversions on the basis of a click or an impression — 28 days after a click and 1 day after a view. On 19 October Facebook announced the launch of a new attribution tool that lets you see how your ads perform on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and the Audience Network, so you can measure the estimated impact of your marketing activities on reaching your goals. The tool also provides cross-device reports, where you can see which devices matter most in reaching the goals you have set.

The pixel in Facebook groups

Creating and following groups is growing ever more popular on Facebook. The appetite for worthwhile content keeps rising. Until now we created groups without being able to evaluate activity in them precisely. But now, thanks to a new update, admins of groups with more than 250 members will be able to obtain real, quantifiable data about their members' activity through a deployed pixel. They will be able to view information about user growth, activity within the group, interaction with other sites and so on, and assess their impact.

Instagram launches Nametags

The new "nametags" feature lets Instagram users create personalised nametags that other users can scan within the Instagram app. When somebody scans your nametag, they are prompted to follow you on Instagram. Nametags can be a large benefit for brands looking to grow their activity on Instagram (which covers most business profiles). A nametag need not exist and work on Instagram alone. You can place it on your website, other social networks, email campaigns, or even in your bricks-and-mortar shop somewhere visible, with the aim of growing your Instagram followers.

Google Maps becomes more interactive with its audience

Google Maps is a key channel for smaller local businesses that use Google My Business. Google Maps now brings a new way for business owners to connect with their customers: a "Follow" button added to business listings found through Google Maps. Clicking it means the user receives updates and recommendations based on the preferences they share with Google. Another new feature is that new businesses will be able to create a Google My Business profile as early as 3 months before opening.

A new user category — television viewers

More and more people watch YouTube videos on their smart TV. On average that is more than 180 million hours a day. That is no longer time to be dismissed, which is why Google has made it possible to make use of this shift in user behaviour. It is now possible to reach these people with YouTube ads. It is a new type of user for whom we can tailor the ad creative and also adjust bids for that particular device.

New diagnostic tools in Google Ads

Google Ads brings two new features that give us a clearer picture of your ads. The Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool helps you find out whether your ad shows for a given keyword. You can enter a search term and get a preview of the ad appearing in Google search. Using this tool is better than running a real search, because it will not affect your ad's metrics. If your ads are not showing, the tool also diagnoses why. The tool also helps you find out which ads show for your chosen audience. Until now we could filter results by language, location and device. Now results can be filtered by audience as well.