Google continues updates frenzy
Sometimes we wish we got a nickel for every update… Because Google just dropped a fistful of new features.
Let’s start with Google Ads:
- If you’re using Performance Max campaigns, you’ll be happy to hear that you can switch Audience Signals mid-campaign without impacting ad performance. Three cheers for smarter campaigns!
- You’ll be even happier to hear that you can review performance data in a single place at manager account level, along with a bunch of other upgrades.
And now a little bit about YouTube:
- Content creators can now get first-hand information about what else their viewers search for on YouTube. This Search Insights feature will gradually roll out during the month of April.
- Plus, soon you’ll be able to see all your YouTube Connected TV (CTV) device metrics within your media mix model (MMM) data feed, allowing you to track the impact of your investment.
By the way, when it comes to tracking performance…
ADVERTISING
Your last click may not be the most important one
Millions of brands advertise on dozens of ad platforms.
Isn’t it strange that marketers use only last-click attribution when measuring ad performance?
Not the whole iceberg: A recent study by Snapchat claims that brands relying only on the final touchpoint are missing out on the big picture.
For example, a customer might discover a brand on TikTok, see it again on Snapchat, but end up converting from a Facebook ad.
Facebook gets credit… but do you really want to invest only in Facebook campaigns?
The Crew’s take: Most analytics tools use last-click attribution as default. However, this doesn’t tell the full story, and may harm your ROI and marketing strategy in the long run.
So make sure to set up tracking that captures the entire buyer’s journey.
SPONSORED BY #PAID
How to make cynical prospects trust your Facebook and Instagram Ads
It’s simple: Run ads through your influencer account instead of your business page.
“I know! There are Facebook Branded Content Ads for that!”
You’re right, but there’s a new feature by #paid that is more effective at boosting your credibility, and possibly, your ROAS.
It’s called Creator Licensing.
“Okay, but why is this better than Branded Content Ads?”
Because people trust other people more than organizations, and #paid’s Creator Licensed ads don’t include a company sponsor label.
Plus, Creator Licensed ads have other advantages:
- You can use any Facebook Ads objective you want.
- You can create new ads from scratch, rather than using existing content shared by the creator. You can also edit or adjust creator ads.
- You can change placements.
- You can leverage the creator’s Facebook or Instagram audience to create Custom Audiences and Lookalikes Audiences.
SEARCH
5 ways to pull in qualified B2B leads with paid search campaigns
Trying to get B2B leads with paid search… and want to cut down cost per acquisition (CPA)?
You might try the suggestions Tim Jensen offers in this Search Engine Journal post:
Filter out users with ad copy. Sometimes the problem with targeting keywords is they don’t describe the user’s intent.
For example, a managed IT service provider may want to target businesses with 100+ employees. But their target customer probably isn’t going to include that in their search queries.
So prequalify your target audience by calling them out in the ad copy:
“Have 100+ employees? Let us handle IT.”
Keep pre-qualifying them on your landing page, too, so you only attract the right leads.
You can do this by saying who your product is exactly for, and by adding more fields to your form to test their intent level.
Combine first-party data and third-party data to target the users you want. Layer your customer list and your website visitors’ data to zero in on audiences directly related to your service.
Target problem-aware audiences. Some of your prospects are experiencing the problem your business solves. But they’re not yet aware of the solution.
Target them by using keywords that relate to the problem they’re looking to solve, rather than the solution.
Optimize for the right conversion. The conversion goal will mostly depend on the stage of the funnel of the audience you want to reach.
- For top-of-funnel audiences, you might want to optimize for actions such as asset downloads or webinar signups.
- For hot or warm audiences, your goal could be demo requests, trial signups, and sales inquiries.
Paid search can work for B2B, you just need to adjust your tactics a bit. These five tips may help.
SPONSORED BY PLEZI ONE
How anyone, even total newbies, can transform B2B websites into lead machines in minutes
Plezi One is a free, easy-to-use tool that helps B2B companies generate more clients with advanced forms and traffic analysis.
More than 600 companies are using Plezi One to generate tons of qualified leads from their website… and using its behavioral data insights to turn those leads into paying clients.
Start capturing and closing more leads, for free.
THE CREW’S INSIGHTS
What to look out for when searching for an agency to write your SEO-focused content
Agencies can be great.
When you find a great fit, you get exquisite work that pushes your business forward without having to increase your in-house team.
But when you partner with the wrong agency… Well, you’ve probably heard the stories on Twitter and in Facebook Groups.
We’ll try to help you figure out if or when you are ready specifically for an agency to handle your SEO-focused content.
Why for SEO-focused content? Because it’s the type of agency we’ve seen that is hardest to choose.
Why is it so hard? SEO-focused content has to be extremely good. It’s not just about the SEO part, it’s also about the expertise on the topic. Many SEO content agencies don’t have enough topic experts to deliver this at a good level.
You might also be too early. If you are too early in your business, you might be better off with a freelancer rather than an agency. A skilled contractor will often be able to offer a better price, because they don’t have the agency overhead. And they’re often better topic experts.
So what should you do? Our recommendation is to team up with freelance writers with previous experience in your niche. Or make sure that the writers of the agency you hire have subject matter expertise.
ROUNDING UP THE STACK
INSIGHTS: One of the best ways to grow your brand is to study what’s working—and not working—for successful brands. Usually that means doing hours of research. But when you join Insights, the research comes to you. Learn more here.*
META: Whoops. In a weird moment of self-sabotage, Meta glitched and randomly turned off the best performing ads in many business accounts. Check yours for any changes!
ANALYTICS: Diligent Analytics experts did some digging… Aaand it seems like Conversion Rates are coming to Google Analytics 4.
TWITTER: For families, it’s Easter. For marketers, it’s seasonal ads, new campaigns, and holiday sales. Twitter has a few ideas for getting engagement during the holiday… and maybe a few sales, too.
PINTEREST: Big news for e-commerce folks. Pinterest just announced their partnership with WooCommerce. Now you can automatically turn your product catalogs into shoppable pins in users’ feeds.
ADVERTISING: Your Reel ain’t a big deal… At least, that’s how the advertisers feel. Despite Meta’s best efforts to position Reels as a viable advertising competitor to TikTok, marketers aren’t biting. Yet.
BUSINESS: Time to eat responsibly. Yelp is giving eco-friendly businesses a boost with new searchable attributes like “plastic-free packaging” and “reusable tableware.”
*This is a sponsored post.
BRAIN TEASER
If you were running a race, and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now?
You can find the answer here.
POOLSIDE CHAT
Cool tech, (funny) business, lifestyle and all the other things marketers like to chat about while sipping cocktails by the pool.
This French philosopher can help you figure out what you really want
As marketers, we’ve all hit crossroads in our careers or personal lives at some point.
It can be hard to know what your next move should be, or what you want most.
The French intellectual René Girard has a “mimetic theory” for figuring out what to do next—and it’s actually quite practical.
So if you’re unsure about your next career move or what to invest your time in next, and you’re feeling reflective… We suggest reading this piece.
It’s long, but worth it.