[Ep135] - Microsoft Ads Now Supports Video Ads

#TWIMshow - This Week in Marketing

1. Wix Rolls Out Feature To Edit Page Level SEO Settings - Wix has rolled out new SEO settings that provide 100% control of critical technical SEO data at the page level in one place. This update gives businesses the option to custom craft technical SEO related factors like structured data on a page by page level from one single settings page. Going forward, Wix users will be able to accomplish the following two things from the SEO dashboard

• Review the SEO settings across the website
• Edit those SEO settings

2. LinkedIn Launches ‘Brand Safety Hub’ To Manage Audience Network Placements - LinkedIn has launched a new Brand Safety hub for its Audience Network ads, which will enable advertisers to find out more information about LinkedIn’s partner platforms, and create allow and block lists to manage the same.

LinkedIn’s Audience Network enables advertisers to extend their campaigns beyond LinkedIn itself, and share their promotions across the platform’s network of publishing partners, which includes ‘thousands of premium partner apps and websites where LinkedIn members spend their time’. The new Brad Safety hub provides direct control over these placements, which could help to both avoid unwanted placements and improve specific targeting. You’ll also be able to apply your own Brand Suitability settings to your Audience Network placements.

You can read more about LinkedIn’s new Brand Safety hub here.

3. TikTok Announces Accelerator & $100 Ad Credits For Small Businesses - TikTok and American Express are launching a brand new program to help merchants reach new audiences and grow their business. The #ShopSmall Accelerator, powered by TikTok and American Express features popular TikTok creators Anna Sitar, Brandon Blackwood & Sofia Bella and will be complemented by a custom Shop Small® soundtrack created especially for TikTok content. This new effort aims to help small businesses stand out in the crowded holiday shopping season and make the most out of Small Business Saturday® on November 26.

The #ShopSmall Accelerator is a one stop shop for small businesses who are looking for expert creative guidance from popular TikTok creators, an opportunity to reach new customers by jumping on the latest trend, or a way to boost growth. To help small businesses get started on the platform, TikTok is also giving away up to $250,000 in ad credits to eligible small businesses. Those eligible can receive a $100 ad credit each to use on TikTok after they spend $50 on their first TikTok Ads campaign. See TikTokShopSmall.com for more details.

4. TikTok Launches Audience Insights Tools - TikTok announced that advertisers can now use the new Audience Insights in TikTok Ads Manager, which will enable them to drill down into specific demographic details about their audience in the app, including interests, usage behaviors, gender splits and more. TikTok’s Audience Insights filters are now listed at the left-hand side of the Ads Manager ‘Reporting’ section. Audience Insights is now available globally within TikTok Ads Manager.

You can also check out TikTok’s Creative Center Insights for broader trend notes, or Ad Library to see what’s working in your niche.

5. Google Introduces Shopping Tab In Search Console - Google is rolling out a new Shopping tab within Google Search Console that contains more information about your product snippets, merchant listings and shopping tab listings in Google Search.

Google announced “eligible online store owners that have implemented product markup will see a new section called Shopping tab listings.” This is rolling out “gradually over the next few weeks,” Google said, “so you might not see any changes for now.”

This feature should provide deep insights as to how well your products are performing in Google Search.

6. Google Recommends Using Dots For Decimal Numbers In Review Snippet Structured Data - Google updated its review snippet structured data help documentation to now recommend using dot separators for decimal ratings. Google added this section twice to the documentation, in both the reviewRating.ratingValue property and the ratingValue property sections.

Google explained that if you are currently using comma separators for decimal ratings in your markup, you’ll still be eligible for review snippets. However, Google now recommends that you update your markup for a more accurate interpretation.

7. Microsoft Ads Now Supports Video Ads - In September 2021, Microsoft tested video ads in a few countries. Now Microsoft announced that video ads are available on the Microsoft Audience Network and can supplement existing search and image advertising efforts.

Microsoft video ads are targeted based on user browsing behavior, LinkedIn, and intent data from Bing search and the Microsoft Edge browser.

During testing, Microsoft found that including video in search campaign increased conversions by 50% when compared to search campaigns alone. Microsoft video advertising can vary in length - from six seconds to two minutes. Microsoft offers the following bidding options for video ads:

• Optimize for impressions: Bid per 1000 viewable impressions. An impression is counted when a viewer watches two seconds of continuous play.
• Optimize for views: Bid on a single video view. A view is counted when a person watches at least 15 seconds of video or clicks on the ad.
• Optimize for clicks: Bid per click on the video. A click is counted when the viewer lands on your website.