LOCATION3 MEDIA NEWS:
Since Location3 started working with RMDH, volunteers have helped out with donating and cooking meals, participated in the grocery and cleaning goods drive, donated six computers, printed volunteers for their annual RadioThon and Gala, and sponsored the Gala two years in a row. This year we also went behind the lens to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denver Gala with a pro bono video in support of the cause. Click here to view the final production.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SEARCH?
The big focus is on attribution, path to conversion and keeping the top of the funnel open for new visitors to travel the brand loyalty path. Today, that has become more of a challenge. A new report in Google AdWords supports the value of upper-funnel keywords and their role with new conversions and more effective influence reporting. Read more on our blog.
There is a growing need for an integrated Digital Marketing campaign between national programs and local franchise systems. While some franchisees are getting their local PPC programs right, others could benefit from a strategic restructuring. Read our recent blog on National or Local PPC for Franchise Brands?
How are the engines ranking? No surprise Google owns the lion’s share of search at 66.5%, but Bing and Yahoo! are chipping away at it. Google was down 0.6% while Bing and Yahoo were up 0.6% combined. Read more on the latest Search Engine Rankings from comScore.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN DISPLAY?
Ever wonder how you stack up against industry benchmarks? Google recently introduced a new Display Benchmarking Tool. Click here to play around with the tool.
Earlier this year Firefox announced they would be blocking third party cookies by default in version 22. The beta for V22 was released May 16th and the public release is scheduled for June 24th. However, Firefox has said it needs more data and refinements before it will ship the patch. In the beta version, the patch to block third-party cookies is not on by default. Click here to read the latest.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN VIDEO?
Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” video is now the most watched ad ever, and:
- The evocative storytelling doesn’t cite a single product feature or benefit
- It taps into the emotional core of the product, showing what really resonates with consumers
Digital video continues its upward climb. The U.S. digital video ad spending will nearly double in three years, rising from $4.14 billion now to $8.04 billion in 2016. Why the boost? Studies show remarkable results when campaigns combine traditional television budgets with digital. Read our blog for more details.
Recently, comScore announced a collaboration with BrightRoll to enhance online video campaign ratings. Between Nielsen’s Online Campaign Ratings, Google and now comScore there is a shift in helping advertisers compare apples to apples when it comes to video verses TV performance, by supplying standardized reach, frequency and GRP’s. Digital advertising however, has more data points to layer in on top of those standard metrics.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN LOCAL?
Google Maps has an updated look and a spiffy new level of interactivity. Google users get the first invite-only preview to try it out. The new maps have more colors, a new way to display local search results, a filter to include people from Google+ circles, and a scrolling carousel at the bottom that leads to street views of places of interest.
Google is rolling out new dashboards to existing accounts. The dashboards have a set list of categories, which eliminates custom categories. Pages will show as verified, data will be pushed faster, and there is better integration with other Google products. Users are encouraged to keep using the current dashboard, as this change will be gradual.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ANALYTICS?
Google’s new Universal Analytics is picking up new users left and right! A word of caution though— this tool is still in beta, but offers some great features. You can learn more about Universal Analytics’ cross device-tracking features by attending a webinar on May 30th.
In other news, Google Analytics’ goal tracking system got a re-vamp! It still works basically the same, but with a sleeker look. We think it’s a little more intuitive now.
On May 23rd Adobe Analytics Standard had some updates that are worth a peek. Our favorite is the Sequential Segmentation functionality within Adobe Analytics’ Discover tool.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SEO?
Penguin 2.0 was released on May 22nd, and like the original 2012 Penguin update, targets sites with “unnatural” backlink portfolios. It looks like this update was more targeted towards the page level, penalizing or devaluing individual pages having unnatural backlinks rather than the whole domain. These updates further support our link building strategies, our focus on in-content, quality links that disclose both the authorship of the articles and the affiliation with our clients. Any link building like this is safe and should not feel effects from this algorithm update. However, old link building techniques executed on our client’s behalf from previous SEO companies may still be at risk, so we will be monitoring Google Webmaster Tools for any further updates.
Word has it another Google algorithm update went live around May 9th. It’s been dubbed the “Phantom” update because no information was released about it or its purpose. The reason SEO’s are speculating there even was an update is because of simultaneous reported traffic drops, which usually indicate one. If you saw a similar drop then, that’s probably why. Unfortunately without specific information about the change, there isn’t a known solution.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOCIAL?
Foursquare Venue Pages Redesign & Retargeting
In late April, Foursquare launched a redesign of venue pages to focus on its Explore and Discover functionality, highlighting the key information users need (such as the map and hours of operation) and making them more visually appealing. Learn more.
Foursquare is also working with DSP partners to run retargeting ads based on users’ check-ins. Ads would run on the network’s regular inventory (i.e., online publishers), but would be targeted to users based on the businesses they check into offline. For example, you could target the business traveler by identifying check-ins at airports, rental car locations or hotel frequency. Check-in retargeting officially launches to beta partners in early June. Location3’s clients are invited to participate in the beta. If you are interested, contact your Location3 rep for all the details and eligibility.
Facebook Launches New Mobile Pages
Shortly after Foursquare launched their venue page redesign, Facebook announced a global redesign of mobile pages to feature more mobile-friendly information and activities. The redesign is geared towards business maps, addresses and hours of operation. Actions such as Like, Check-in and Call have larger buttons and better placement. Facebook deemphasized the “Write Post” action, and emphasized the star rating, which benefits users and brands alike. It’s easier for users to rate the business with a simple click, and brands can worry less about long negative postings. Learn more.
Google+ Redesign Layout, Enhances Photos
There’s so much buzz coming out of Google’s I/O event in mid-March, and the Google+ design changes were some of the most talked about. The new layout has a multiple column card format, highlighting photos and videos. Hashtags are automatically added to your posts. And just for fun, although it’s also functional, when you upload a series of similar photos, Google will turn them into an animated GIF.
Hangouts also received some attention — users can now communicate across devices and can start a hangout right from the status update box. Learn more.
Pinterest Releases Rich Pins
Pinterest has partnered with a handful of brands to bring you Rich Pins, helpful tidbits such as recipe instructions and movie times or pricing, within the Pinterest website. For brands looking to drive traffic to their site, this could be viewed as a step in the wrong direction. However, it might also mean more repins, which leads to higher engagement and awareness (rich pins will have the brand’s log attached). Learn more about the Pinterest changes.
Instagram Releases Photos of You, Allows Tagging of Users and Brands
Instagram recently released a new feature called Photos of You. Here’s how it works: an Instagram user can tag another user or brand in a photo simply by tapping the photo and searching for the applicable brand, or individual(s). You don’t need to follow the brand, or the individual to tag them, but the tagged user has to approve the tag, either automatically or manually. A user can tag an individual user and a brand in the same photo. The feature will be available May 16, 2013. Learn more.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CONTENT?
Yahoo acquires Tumblr for $1.1 billion
- Shows Yahoo is still an industry player
- Tumblr will likely have more ads and Yahoo will grow their stagnant revenue
- Everyone involved promises to “not screw up” Tumblr’s appealing, minimal format
- This should make Tumblr more of a priority for our clients