Posts by Sean

What is YouTube Collaborate?

YouTube’s collaboration tool allows users to duet shorts from other creators on the platform, the feature has the same functionality as the TikTok stitch feature. The feature enables users to record videos with a split screen which displays both the newly recorded video and the original short. The feature has been released to both iOS and Android users.

The collaboration tool now provides YouTube creators with the opportunity to produce short-form content like those on TikTok. This creates space for creators to reach audiences that prefer short-form content whilst staying on YouTube’s platform.  Initially, TikTok offered the function, but YouTube did not, creating a clear disparity between the two platforms. 

YouTube has previously stipulated regarding copyright that ‘fair content use’ required users to use clipped footage of the original content, lasting no longer than 30 seconds per clip. And the content being made needed to be educational or for commentary purposes. Inappropriate or offensive content is not tolerated and can lead to creators acquiring copyright strikes or in some cases, account bans.

How to use YouTube Collaborate?

Utilising the Collaborate tool is quite simple, just use the following steps to navigate:

• Select the watch page for the short you would like to collaborate on.
• Press the ‘remix’ icon and then click ‘collab’.
• You can select as much as 60 seconds of the short you would like to duet.
• Pick a layout, there are plenty of options to cater to stylistic preferences.
• Record. Your video will be recorded whilst the original short plays simultaneously. 

The benefits of the collaboration tool on YouTube?

Creators have a fair chance to reach a wider audience by collaborating with other creators’ videos.  This will enable content producers to create short-form reactive/ collaborative videos without needing to orchestrate the production of a long-form video.

The ability to produce reactive content, commentaries and even repurpose existing content will give users the chance to utilise the platform’s features in ways they were previously unable to.

YouTube’s previous limitations to using other users’ YouTube content means the clips must be staggered and done with reasoning. Now creators will be able to react to longer clips in a shorter format, making the commentaries or working alongside other creators and their content far easier with fewer limitations.

YouTube provides a plethora of display choices allowing video creators to find a style which works best for their style. With options such as picture-in-picture, green screen effects and side-by-side layouts.

Lastly, the brands will now be able to use audience participation to their advantage within marketing campaigns. The integration of UGC within marketing campaigns will likely have a positive knock-on effect with audiences trusting personal customer experiences. While also decreasing the cost of campaigns, circumstantially because of the input of user content with their own.

We’d love to know if this is something you’ll be using or watching out for. For more information, YouTube has created a short to give a glimpse into using collaborate.

Google has updated its e-commerce platform to better handle product variations like size or colour through structured data. This makes it easier for online shops to show off their product range and helps shoppers find what they’re looking for more easily.

Along with detailed guides and tools for website owners, Google has introduced three key features to organize products more effectively and has made return policies clearer. This is great news for online stores, as it could lead to better visibility in searches, more trust from shoppers, and possibly more sales.

Technical Implementation and Documentation

Google’s recent update includes new structured data specifications for product variants, accompanied by comprehensive technical documentation and validation tools. This documentation guides e-commerce sites on how to implement the new structured data correctly, ensuring products are accurately represented in Google’s ecosystem. Tools like Search Console and the Rich Results Test have been updated to support the validation of this new structured data, helping site owners identify and rectify any issues promptly, ensuring that product listings are optimized for Google’s search.

Understanding Product Variant Properties

The three new properties, hasVariant, variesBy, and productGroupID, are integral to Google’s enhanced structured data for product variants. These properties allow e-commerce sites to effectively group variants of a product under a single “parent” product.

• “hasVariant” is used to nest product variants within their parent ProductGroup
• “variesBy” identifies the variant properties (like size or colour)
• “productGroupID” serves as a unique identifier for the ProductGroup, facilitating easier management and discovery of product variants in search results.

Clarification on Return Fees

Google clarified the use of “FreeReturn” versus “ReturnShippingFees” values in the structured data for product returns. This distinction is crucial for e-commerce platforms to accurately communicate return policies to consumers, ensuring clarity on whether returning a product is free or if return shipping fees apply.

This clarification aids in enhancing transparency and trust between retailers and customers, making online shopping experiences more straightforward and satisfactory.

Importance for E-commerce Sites

Google’s update is a significant boon for e-commerce sites with product variants, allowing for a more detailed and structured presentation of products. By enabling the grouping of variants under a single parent product and clarifying return policies, Google enhances both the visibility and the user experience on e-commerce platforms.

These improvements can lead to better search result accuracy, increased consumer trust, and potentially higher conversion rates for retailers.

In the evolving landscape of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), the emphasis on authenticity and firsthand experience in content creation has never been more critical. This shift is reflective of search engines’ sophisticated algorithms that prioritize content offering real value to users.

Search Engine Land reported this week that a SEO study showed that websites using first-person pronouns and first-hand experience seemed to be gaining from the recent batch of Google Updates. Subtle identifiers such as “me”, “I” or “we” perhaps demonstrate to search engines that the content is produced and written by a human, and not instead with the voice of a “brand” or company. This shift to focusing on individual experts is a clear one, with so many sites competing with often the same content (now not helped by AI), Google seems to be separating the wheat from the chaff by looking for content clearly penned by an individual.

We have long told our SEO clients – to write content from the individual’s perspective. Make it personal – use content so that it shows a company isn’t sanitised brand copy, but a collection of thoughts, ideas and explanations from the experts that work there. Never before has it been so important to ensure that your online content comes from an experienced individual, and one with true authenticity.

Authenticity

Building Credibility: Authentic content establishes a foundation of trust between a website and its visitors. Search engines like Google use various indicators to assess the genuineness of content. Original research, accurate sourcing, and transparency in authorship and intention all signal authenticity to these algorithms.

Enhancing Engagement: Authentic content resonates more deeply with readers, encouraging longer engagement times and more meaningful interactions. These behavioural signals are key metrics for search engines in determining content quality and relevance.

Mitigating Risks: In an era where misinformation can quickly spread, search engines penalize deceptive practices harshly. Genuine content strategies avoid these risks, ensuring long-term SEO health.

Experience

Firsthand Knowledge: Content created from firsthand experience offers unique insights that generic information cannot replicate. Search engines, through updates like Google’s E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), increasingly value this depth of knowledge.

User-Centric Design: The user experience (UX) on a website, including its content’s readability, accessibility, and navigability, significantly impacts SEO. Content that reflects an understanding of user needs and preferences tends to perform better in search rankings.

Content Depth and Quality: Experience-driven content often provides a richer, more comprehensive exploration of topics. This depth is not only valuable to readers but also positions websites as authoritative sources on specific subjects, further boosting SEO performance.

Why focus on creating content with experienced experts

Adaptation to Algorithm Updates: Google’s algorithm updates increasingly focus on rewarding content that demonstrates both authenticity and real-world expertise. Websites prioritising these aspects are better positioned to adapt to and benefit from these changes.

Competitive Differentiation: In saturated markets, authenticity and experience can differentiate a website from its competitors. This unique selling proposition can attract a loyal audience base, contributing to improved search visibility and higher conversion rates.

Leverage your own experience and expertise

The importance of authenticity and experience in SEO content cannot be overstated. As search engines evolve, the demand for content that is both genuine and insightful continues to grow. Websites that embrace these principles not only foster stronger connections with their audience but also solidify their standing in search rankings. The future of SEO lies in creating content that is true to the creator’s experience and expertise, offering real value to the user beyond keywords and optimization tactics.

In today’s digital age, the ability to make data-driven decisions is pivotal for marketing success. However, one of the most daunting challenges marketers face is consolidating data from various sources into a coherent, analyzable format. That’s where the magic of data integration tools like Supermetrics comes into play, particularly when creating comprehensive dashboards in Google Looker Studio.

Of course, none of this is new and anyone working in digital marketing will be familiar with how data visualisation dashboards can be invaluable for reporting. However, many clients aren’t familiar and may still be reliant on viewing data separately in different platform dashboards or via Excel exports. So, this guide is for you!

Data disconnection and complexity

Marketers utilize a plethora of platforms—social media, PPC, SEO, CRM, and more. Each platform generates vast amounts of data, but these data sources often exist in silos, making it difficult to see the bigger picture. The process of manually extracting, cleaning, and consolidating data is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors, leading to less reliable insights.

What is Supermetrics?

Supermetrics is a powerful tool designed to automate the data extraction and consolidation process. It acts as a bridge, connecting your disparate data sources to your analytics or reporting tools. With Supermetrics, you can easily pull data from over 60 online marketing platforms (such as Google Ads, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Salesforce) directly into Google Looker Studio, Excel, Google Sheets, and other reporting tools.

Utilizing Supermetrics for diverse data sources

The strength of Supermetrics lies in its versatility. Whether you’re looking to analyze your SEO performance, track your PPC campaigns, monitor social media engagement, or measure your sales funnel, Supermetrics has you covered. It streamlines the process of fetching data from various platforms and prepares it for analysis, saving marketers countless hours of manual work.

Integration with Google Looker Studio

Google Looker Studio, previously known as Google Data Studio, allows users to create customizable dashboards and reports. When Supermetrics is used in conjunction with Google Looker Studio, it transforms raw data into visually appealing and informative dashboards. Here’s how you can leverage Supermetrics for Google Looker Studio:

1. Connect Your Data Sources: Use Supermetrics to connect your marketing platforms with Google Looker Studio. This is as simple as adding Supermetrics as a data source and selecting the platforms you wish to integrate.
2. Automate Data Import: Schedule automatic data refreshes to ensure your dashboard always displays the most up-to-date information.
3. Customize Your Dashboard: Utilize the drag-and-drop interface of Google Looker Studio to create custom reports that highlight the KPIs most relevant to your marketing objectives.

Innovative Data Visualization techniques

With the foundation set, it’s time to get creative with your data visualizations. Here are some innovative ways to present your data in Google Looker Studio using Supermetrics:

• Multi-Channel Performance Overview: Create a comprehensive dashboard that showcases your performance across different marketing channels, allowing you to easily compare and contrast their effectiveness.
• Customer Journey Funnel: Visualize your customer’s journey from initial contact to sale, highlighting areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
• Real-Time Campaign Tracking: Set up dashboards that track the performance of your marketing campaigns in real-time, enabling quick adjustments to optimize results.
• Geographical Heat Maps: Understand where your efforts are paying off by visualizing customer engagement, sales, or any other key metric by geographical location.
• Competitor Benchmarking: Use Supermetrics to pull in public data on your competitors and create dashboards that benchmark your performance against theirs.

Conclusion

In a world where data is king, having the right tools to effectively gather, analyze, and present this data is crucial. Supermetrics offers a lifeline for marketers drowning in data, simplifying the process of data consolidation and visualization. By harnessing the power of Supermetrics and Google Looker Studio, marketers can unlock insights that were previously hidden, driving smarter, data-driven decisions that propel their businesses forward.

Ready to transform your marketing analytics strategy? Explore how Supermetrics can streamline your data integration and visualization processes today. Speak to us about building your very own digital performance dashboard today.

In the dynamic field of digital advertising, Microsoft’s Retail Media Creative Studio emerges as a groundbreaking tool. This platform is not just another ad creation software; it represents a significant leap forward in how digital ads are crafted. By integrating advanced AI technology, it offers a unique solution that addresses common challenges faced by digital marketers in ad creation and campaign management.

What is Microsoft’s Retail Media Creative Studio?

This innovative tool from Microsoft harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to streamline the ad creation process. At its heart, it’s designed to take the complexity out of creating digital banner ads. By inputting a simple product URL, the tool can generate visually appealing and effective ads almost instantaneously. This is a significant departure from traditional methods, where ad creation is a time-consuming process involving multiple steps and collaboration between various teams.

In the realm of AI-driven ad creation tools, Microsoft’s Retail Media Creative Studio faces competition from several innovative platforms. Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite, particularly with its AI capabilities in Adobe Sensei, is a notable competitor, offering a range of design and marketing tools that leverage AI for content creation. Google’s various advertising solutions also present competition, especially with their advanced targeting and analytics features. Additionally, smaller, specialized AI marketing tools are emerging, offering niche solutions and innovative approaches to ad creation and optimization in the digital space.

How does it work?

The process begins with the user inputting a product URL into the Retail Media Creative Studio. From here, the AI takes over, analyzing the product and its attributes. It then uses this information to generate a banner ad that not only looks great but is also optimized for performance. The AI considers factors such as brand guidelines, current design trends, and performance data to ensure that each ad is not only in line with the brand’s identity but also poised to perform well in digital spaces.

You can watch Microsoft’s video about how the tool works.

Benefits for digital marketers

• Time-Saving: It significantly cuts down ad creation time.
• Brand Consistency: Ensures ads consistently reflect your brand’s style.
• Optimization: AI-driven optimization for better ad performance.
• Scalability: Easily handles a large volume of ads for various campaigns.
• Cost-Effective: Reduces resource expenditure on ad creation.

In essence, Microsoft’s Retail Media Creative Studio offers a practical, efficient, and intelligent solution for digital ad creation, making it a valuable asset for marketers in today’s digital landscape.

In the ever-evolving world of e-commerce, staying ahead of inventory management is crucial for business success. Automating the export of product stock levels from WooCommerce to Google Sheets can transform how you manage your inventory, offering a seamless and efficient approach. In this guide, we’ll explore the key benefits of this automation, providing insights into how it can enhance your business operations as well as how to easily achieve this.

WooCommerce stock-level functionality has to be manually exported if you’re looking to take a standard approach to using stock data. This can be a time-consuming task and is easily forgotten about. For many marketers, accessing real-time stock data in a simple data point like a Google Sheet means that they can integrate this data with other management and analysis tools. For many of our clients, simply having a live and dynamic stock feed from WooCommerce means that they can better interpret performance and plan stock more efficiently.

Real-Time Inventory Tracking

• Instant Updates: With automation, stock level changes in WooCommerce are immediately reflected in Google Sheets. This real-time tracking prevents stock-outs and overstocking, ensuring you always have a clear picture of your inventory.
• Efficient Reordering: Real-time data allows for timely reordering, reducing the risk of lost sales due to out-of-stock items.

Enhanced Data Accuracy

• Minimized Human Error: Manual data entry is prone to errors. Automation eliminates this risk, ensuring your stock levels are always accurate.
• Reliable Inventory Reports: Accurate data leads to reliable inventory reports, which are essential for making informed business decisions. Many of our clients utilise the data as a way of understanding a decline in performance that can be caused by stock levels depleting.

Improved Productivity

• Time-Saving: Automation frees up valuable time, allowing you and your team to focus on other critical aspects of your business.
• Streamlined Processes: By reducing the need for manual updates, your inventory management process becomes more streamlined and efficient.

Better Financial Management

• Cost-Effective: Automated stock level management helps in maintaining optimal inventory levels, reducing holding costs.
• Profit Maximization: By avoiding overstocking and stock-outs, you can maximize profits and minimize unnecessary expenditures.

Enhanced Scalability

• Easy Scalability: As your business grows, managing larger inventories manually becomes challenging. Automation scales with your business, handling increased data effortlessly.
• Adaptability: Automation solutions are adaptable, catering to your evolving business needs.

Seamless Integration and Accessibility

• Easy Integration: Automating WooCommerce with Google Sheets is straightforward, requiring minimal technical knowledge. We use Google Sheets as it’s a simple and largely universal platform that is easily integrated with thousands of third-party software solutions as well as data performance dashboards that we create using Google Looker Studio or Microsoft Power BI.
• Accessible Anywhere: Google Sheets can be accessed from anywhere, offering flexibility in inventory management.

Customizable and Extendable

• Tailored Solutions: You can customize your Google Sheets to match your specific inventory management needs.
• Extension with Add-Ons: Numerous add-ons are available to extend the functionality of Google Sheets, offering enhanced analysis and reporting capabilities.

Automating the export of WooCommerce product stock levels to Google Sheets is a game-changer in e-commerce inventory management. It offers many benefits, including real-time tracking, accuracy, increased productivity, better financial management, scalability, seamless integration, and customization. By embracing this automation, you set your business up for greater efficiency and success.

How can I easily automate WooCommerce stock data into Google Sheets?

We have spent a great deal of time and effort looking at potential solutions and the most straightforward and cost-effective method for small and medium e-commerce businesses would be to utilise Stock Sync with Google Sheet for WooCommerce. The free option allows for up to 100 products but a Pro version for around $50 has unlimited products and works seamlessly.

Requirements to set this up

The plugin is extremely easy to set up and provides clear guidance for a competent WooCommerce administrator. To complete the setup you’ll need the following:

• Google Cloud account with enabled Google Sheets API access
• Google Sheet
• Access rights to install a WordPress plugin

What features does this plugin offer?

Features include:

• Unrestricted Bi-Directional Product Sync: Sync an unlimited number of products between WooCommerce and Google Sheets, going beyond the 100-product limit of the free version.
• Comprehensive Editing from Google Sheets: Freely edit key product details like name, stock level, description, price, SKU, and custom fields from Google Sheets.
• Adding New Products from Google Sheets: Effortlessly add new products to your WooCommerce store directly from Google Sheets, with instant updates on your site.
• Unlimited Bulk Editing and Product Addition in WooCommerce: Manage and add products in bulk without any restrictions, offering a powerful tool for inventory management.
• Custom Fields Synchronization in WooCommerce: Sync and edit WooCommerce custom field data from Google Sheets to display additional product information like size and colour.
• SKU Synchronization: Keep track of inventory efficiently by updating WooCommerce product SKUs directly from Google Sheets.
• Product Image Synchronization: Easily manage and update product images in your store through Google Sheets synchronization.
• Display of Total Sales Count: Gain insights and make informed decisions with the total sales column feature in Google Sheets.
• Viewing Product Categories: Easily categorize products by viewing their categories directly in the connected spreadsheet.
• Display of Product Attributes: View and manage product attributes conveniently on the Google Sheets spreadsheet.

What to do with the Google Sheet and stock data when it’s ready?

There are multiple implementations/ways of using the data once it’s all operational. A few of these we recommend include:

Integrate the data into your performance dashboards like Google Looker Studio.

You can track stock levels over time and overall them with sales data to identify where stock shortfalls have affected performance as well as spot upcoming potential instances where you might not have enough stock. Furthermore, you can combine the “number of sales” metric that the plugin generates with stock to identify products that are high in stock but low in sales to create a strategy to sell these “unwanted” products better.

Automate email notifications for low stock levels

WooCommerce does allow for low-stock email notifications but the system is relatively simple and can be annoying if you’re dealing with a high volume of stock. Using the Google Sheet you can automate a daily or real-time email that informs your business of upcoming low stock that is sorted/filtered by category or audience.

Share stock data with your third-party agencies

As a digital marketing agency, it is invaluable to be given a real-time of stock levels from a client. It helps inform where we need to push and where we need to be careful (e.g. setting sales on low-stock products isn’t wise!). It can also help agencies better interpret performance data and explain performance issues that might be caused by low/out-of-stock products.

Manage e-commerce performance better

Providing stock overview to external/internal website management or marketing terms can help them manage the website better. Prioritising high-stock products in elements such as “featured products” grids or hero banners can help “shift this stock” better. Furthermore, being able to see stock levels can ensure that marketing promotions such as banners, best-seller widgets and offers aren’t being pushed to products that are out of stock (or just about to go out of stock!).

Start transforming your inventory management today. Explore the tools and resources available to automate your WooCommerce product stock levels to Google Sheets and witness the positive impact on your business operations. Stay ahead in the competitive world of e-commerce with smart, efficient inventory management.

We are thrilled to announce that Intelligency, has been honoured with the prestigious Northern Enterprise Award 2023 for the Best International Boutique Marketing Agency. This accolade highlights our unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in the dynamic world of marketing.

Intelligency has been extremely fortunate to enjoy working with a wide range of clients domestic and abroad. In 2023, we expanded our relationship with streaming giant ‘Viaplay’ which saw us roll out our venue finder for their Scandinavian markets.

What is the Northern Enterprise Award?

The Northern Enterprise Awards, hosted annually, celebrates the industriousness, creativity, and dedication of businesses located in the northern regions. It recognizes companies that have consistently demonstrated excellence in their sector, offering innovative solutions and outstanding customer service. Winning this award is a testament to a company’s exceptional performance, resilience, and contribution to the economy.

Continued success

Receiving the Northern Enterprise Award is a significant achievement for Intelligency. It places us among the great agencies in international marketing, acknowledging our unique approach, global reach, and the impactful results we deliver for our clients. This award is not just a recognition of our current success; it’s a beacon guiding us towards future innovation and excellence in the international marketing arena.

A word from Sean Walsh, Co-Director at Intelligency;

“I am incredibly proud of our team for achieving this remarkable feat. Winning the Northern Enterprise Award for Best International Boutique Marketing Agency is a significant milestone in Intelligency’s journey. This accolade is a reflection of our team’s hard work, creativity, and relentless pursuit of marketing excellence.

Our approach has always been client-centric, focusing on delivering tailor-made, impactful marketing strategies that drive success. This award strengthens our resolve to continue pushing the boundaries and setting new benchmarks in the marketing industry.”

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate this achievement, we remain committed to upholding the standards that earned us this award. Intelligency will continue to innovate, inspire, and lead in the international marketing landscape, delivering exceptional services to our clients worldwide.

Thank you to the Northern Enterprise Awards for this honour, and a huge thank you to our clients and partners for their ongoing support and trust in Intelligency.

In the dynamic world of sports and digital innovation, two pioneering forces have recently joined hands to bring something exceptional to the UK sports industry. Intelligency, a powerhouse in digital marketing strategy, has partnered with the emerging UK Pickleball brand, Pickl, marking a significant milestone in sports marketing and brand development. This collaboration aims to elevate Pickleball, a rapidly growing sport, to new heights of recognition and success within the UK and beyond.

Intelligency, known for its forward-thinking approach and expertise in digital marketing, brings to the table a wealth of knowledge and innovative strategies tailored to the sports industry. Their partnership with Pickl, a brand dedicated to providing top-quality Pickleball paddles and promoting the sport across the UK, is set to revolutionize how sports brands engage with their audience and build their presence in the digital realm.

The collaboration between Intelligency and Pickl is built on a foundation of mutual goals: to introduce and solidify Pickleball’s presence in the UK, engage with enthusiasts and newcomers alike, and foster a thriving community around the sport. Through targeted digital marketing campaigns, SEO optimization, and social media engagement, Intelligency aims to propel Pickl to the forefront of the UK sports scene, making it synonymous with Pickleball in the region.

Stay tuned as we witness the transformative journey of Pickl, powered by the digital marketing expertise of Intelligency. Together, they’re set to make a significant impact on the UK sports landscape, proving that with the right partnership, the sky’s the limit.

Good Afternoon, and welcome to the Friday Digital Roundup.

In today’s exciting roundup of digital marketing updates, we’re diving into Meta’s ambitious expansion into the EU with Threads, followed by Bing’s unveiling of the Deep Search feature, and wrapping up with Google’s significant move in privacy with the “right to be forgotten” ruling.

Let’s delve into these stories and uncover what they mean for the digital world.

Meta’s Big Move: Launching Threads in the EU

Meta is gearing up to introduce Threads in the European Union (EU) by the end of 2023.

This strategic move follows major advertisers like Disney, Paramount, and Sony Pictures withdrawing from Elon Musk’s platform. These companies reacted to Musk endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory.

Impact on Marketing Strategies

While Threads currently doesn’t feature ads, there’s ample opportunity for brands. They can expand their audience via influencer collaborations. It’s important to remember that advertising on Threads is expected soon. These ads are predicted to play a major role in the app’s revenue.

Navigating EU Regulations

Threads initially didn’t launch in EU countries due to stringent privacy laws. To align with these regulations, Meta redesigned Threads. Now, users can enjoy the app without needing a profile. However, creating a profile is essential for those wanting to post content, as the Wall Street Journal reported.

Enhanced User Control

Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s chief, announced a user-friendly update. Threads users can now delete their Threads profile without affecting their Instagram account.

A Growing User Base

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shares impressive numbers. Threads boasts nearly 200 million monthly active users. He anticipates this number to reach a billion in the coming years. With its EU debut, Threads could attract an additional 40 million users monthly, predicts tech analyst Aho Williamson.

Microsoft Unveils Deep Search: A Game-Changer for Complex Queries

Microsoft revealed a groundbreaking AI feature this week called Deep Search. It’s an advanced tool designed to assist users with intricate questions lacking straightforward answers.

How it works

Deep Search enhances Bing’s existing framework, leveraging its web index and ranking system. It incorporates GPT-4’s intelligence to understand a query’s multiple intents and nuances. The system then generates detailed descriptions, crafting an “ideal set of results.”

Deep Search goes beyond typical search techniques. It unveils results that usually don’t reach the top of regular search outcomes.

Expanding search horizons

Microsoft demonstrated Deep Search’s capabilities with an example. When someone searches for “how do points systems work in Japan,” Deep Search identifies related search terms. These include:

• loyalty card programs in Japan
• best loyalty cards for travellers in Japan
• comparison of Loyalty programs by category in Japan
• redeeming loyalty cards in Japan
• managing loyalty points with phone apps

An enhanced Search Experience

“Deep Search delves deeper than regular Bing searches,” Microsoft explained. While standard Bing searches analyze millions of web pages, Deep Search examines ten times more. This intensive search process uncovers more informative and specific results, even if they don’t contain the original search keywords.

Ranking Factors in Deep Search

Deep Search emphasises the relevance of web pages to Bing’s expanded descriptions. Key factors influencing ranking include:

• The precision of topic matching.
• Adequate detail level in content.
• Source credibility and trustworthiness.
• Content freshness.
• Page popularity.

Deep Search isn’t as swift as regular Bing searches. According to Microsoft, it might take up to 30 seconds for Deep Search to yield results. This longer wait time raises concerns about user patience and adoption.

For now, Deep Search is in its testing phase. Only select small groups of Bing users globally will encounter this feature, as Microsoft revealed in a blog post.

The Significance for Users and SEO

This AI-driven feature on Bing’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) might divert clicks from organic listings. The impact on user behaviour and SEO is yet to be fully understood. Deep Search aims to help users complete tasks more efficiently, especially for queries with unclear intent.

Microsoft designed Deep Search to provide “more relevant and comprehensive answers to complex search queries.” It’s not intended for every user or query. Instead, it’s an enhancement, offering a more in-depth and richer web exploration option, complementing Bing’s existing web search capabilities.

EU’s Landmark Privacy Decision: The Right to Be Forgotten

The European Union Court of Justice made a groundbreaking decision last week, granting EU citizens the “right to be forgotten.” This ruling allows individuals to request Google to remove links that are outdated, irrelevant, or excessive.

Following this decision, Google has launched an online form. This platform enables users to request the removal of personal data links from Google’s search results.

The Submission Process Explained

To submit a removal request, users need to provide specific details to Google:

• URLs of the links to be removed.
• An explanation of how these links relate to the individual.
• Personal identification information, including name, contact email, and a photo ID scan.

Google commits to thoroughly assessing each request. They aim to strike a balance between an individual’s privacy rights and the public’s right to information. A committee of experts will review submissions to prevent misuse of this right, particularly by those seeking to erase their questionable pasts.

Criteria for Assessment

During evaluations, Google will weigh the public interest in the information. This includes cases involving financial scams, professional misconduct, criminal records, or the public actions of government officials.

The Impact of Approval

If Google approves a removal request, the relevant links will disappear from search results on all EU Google sites.

Google acknowledges that this online form and process will undergo refinements over time, adapting to the needs and challenges of this new privacy landscape.

In this week’s digital roundup, we’re covering three key stories that are shaping the digital landscape.

First, we delve into Google’s November 2023 core update, a critical development affecting site rankings and digital marketing strategies.

Then, we explore TikTok’s introduction of Creative Cards, aimed at helping small businesses create more engaging content.

Finally, we look at the significant pause in advertising by major companies on social media platform X, a move sparked by controversial statements from Elon Musk.

These stories highlight the ever-changing nature of the digital world and its impact on businesses and advertisers.

Google November Core Update Finishes Rolling Out

Google has announced the completion of the November 2023 core update, marking it as the fourth major update of the year. This update, which began on the 2nd of November closely followed the October core update that rolled out.

The November update, taking 26 days to roll out fully, concluded on November 28. Many sites experienced significant ranking changes, as commonly seen with such updates. The effect was immediate and substantial, attracting attention and commentary from SEO experts. Early observations were reported at the Search Engine Roundtable.

It’s important to note that another update, the Google November 2023 reviews update, began on November 8 and overlapped with the core update. While concurrent, the impact of each update varied in timing across different sites.

Understanding these Google algorithm updates is crucial for businesses and organisations. Whether positive or negative, changes in rankings can significantly affect your website’s performance in search results, influencing organic traffic, conversions, and revenue.

Awareness of these updates helps site owners distinguish between traffic changes caused by their site modifications and those resulting from Google’s algorithm adjustments.

If your site is adversely affected by a core update, Google advises the following:

• Firstly, there’s no specific action recommended for recovery. A drop in rankings doesn’t necessarily mean there’s an issue with your pages.
• Google suggests a set of questions to consider if your site is impacted by a core update.
• Minor recovery is possible between core updates, but significant changes are more likely after subsequent core updates.

Tiktok Creative Cards

TikTok has introduced a new feature to aid small businesses in creating more engaging, relevant, and relatable content.

What are Creative Cards?

Creative Cards offers data-driven tips for creating posts that better resonate with audiences. These cards fall into five categories:

• Community: This first card focuses on engaging your audience and building customer loyalty.
• Edutainment: The second card can showcase products and share lessons creatively.
• Creator Tools: The third card can enhance views and likability using storytelling, green screen concepts, music, and captions.
• Trends: The fourth card brainstorms ideas for participating in trending memes and hashtags.
• Storytelling: The fifth card can share your business’s journey and challenges faced.

Why Creative Cards Matter

Creative Cards are invaluable for brands new to TikTok, helping to optimize content for maximum exposure and engagement. They are also useful for experienced creators seeking inspiration, especially during the holiday season.

In order to use this feature, content creators must register for access. Once granted, they can explore over 100 digital cards for ideas.

TikTok’s Statement

A TikTok spokesperson stated:

“TikTok Creative Cards help you develop new ways to communicate with concise ad concepts displayed on a collection of digital cards. With so many thought starters at the ready, it’s easy to keep your content fresh and avoid going stale, which can help you attract attention to seasonal products and gift ideas.”

“Actively engage your audience, show off your expertise with a side of fun, and make your small business relevant and relatable with innovative ideas for celebrating the holidays.”

Major Advertisers Dropping X

Recently, X has experienced a significant drop in activity from its major advertisers. Remarkably, these key players haven’t posted on the platform for nearly two weeks.

Initial Reports versus the Actual Situation

Initially, reports suggested a temporary campaign pause by companies like Disney, Paramount, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, and Universal. However, the situation escalated when these key brands completely ceased advertising. This drastic move followed Elon Musk’s endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory, for which he hasn’t issued an apology.

Brands’ Reactions and Decisions

According to industry insiders cited by CNN, concerns over brand safety have led these companies to stop using their official handles on X.

The Significance of This Development

This retreat by powerful companies sends a potent message about X’s current standing as an advertising platform. It highlights the perceived risk of reputational damage associated with the platform.

The Financial Impact on X

Financially, X is in a precarious position. The New York Times estimates a potential loss of up to $75 million in ad revenue by the end of 2023.

The Extent of the Blackout

Moreover, the blackout extends beyond corporate entities. Popular accounts like @StarWars and @MarvelStudios, each with massive followings and previously daily posts, have also ceased their activity on X. Conversely, they are increasing their presence on rival platforms like Threads.

Implications of Leadership and Revenue Challenges

Since Elon Musk’s takeover last year, X has seen a significant decline in ad revenue. Consequently, this halt in content from high-profile accounts poses a substantial challenge for X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, in her efforts to attract advertisers back to the platform.

The Uncertain Future

Looking ahead, the return of these major advertisers to X remains a possibility, yet it’s shrouded in uncertainty. Should X fail to address its ad revenue issues effectively, the platform could face dire consequences for its future sustainability.