Welcome to Cultivative’s weekly roundup for all things PPC from around the web—everything you need to know right now about PPC!
At Cultivative, we’re all about making your life easier. We’ve gathered the top PPC news and innovations from around the web and getting it into your hands. Check out what we found this past week.
Instagram is Letting Advertisers Create Posts With Users’ Accounts
By Matt Southern | Nov 25, 2020
“Instagram is giving advertisers the ability to publish sponsored posts from users’ accounts through an update to branded content ads,” Matt Southern announced. Previously, the advertisers and influencers had to coordinate how the ads were posted. This new process will streamline how sponsored ads will be published where advertisers can publish branded content ads without the need for influencers to create an organic post first. Southern reviews how the new process works, followed by information on additional updates to branded content ads.
Should I Use TrueView Discovery or In-Stream?
By Joe Martinez | Nov 25, 2020
Joe Martinez reviews the features and benefits of the two most common ad formats for video campaigns in Google Ads: TrueView in-stream and TrueView discovery. The type of video ad creative, the user intent, and what actions you want your audience to take are the most crucial elements when deciding which ad formats you will want to use. TrueView discovery ads allow you to target YouTube search results, allowing longer and more in-depth product video ads to be more relevant to your audience and allows for more engagement. Conversely, TrueView in-stream ads for short creative that feature brand awareness in the first five seconds gets the message across if the ad is skipped. In-stream also allows for a more push-type call to action if that is your goal.
The BIG List of CTAs for Lead Generation
By Michelle Morgan | Nov 30, 2020
Lead generation is offering a CTA now in exchange for a lead’s contact information so that they become part of your funnel so you can stay in contact with them as they are in the process of deciding to do business with you. Michelle Morgan asserts that many companies are failing at making viable CTAs that convert, so she has compiled an extensive list of offers and CTAs to improve your lead generation performance. She recommends that instead of focusing on your business’ goals, focus on the customer’s needs as you are creating your offers.
Black Friday 2020: Online Ad Spending Up 2-3X Offsets the In-Store Drop
By Chris “Coz” Costello | Nov 30, 2020
Chris “Coz” Costello reports, “On Black Friday, in-store retail traffic reportedly fell 52.1% versus last year. Although a drop was certainly expected, many experts didn’t project that shopping in-store would fall by quite that much. But, the good news is that Americans spent 116.6 million hours shopping online on Black Friday. The sales lost in-store were made up with surging digital sales as consumers spent a record $9 billion online—up 21.1% year-over-year (YoY).” Key takeaways from Black Friday 2020 include:
- Black Friday 2020 was the second biggest online shopping day in history
- Digital advertisers spent 2-3X the daily November average
- Ecommerce Channel Ads: Sales up 2.9X, average order value up 40%
- Mobile spending was the majority of Paid Search advertising
The digital marketing forecast for 2021
By Nikki Vegenski | Dec 1, 2020
Under normal circumstances, forecasting digital marketing trends is difficult. Following 2020 will make next year’s forecasts even more difficult, but Nikki Vegenski maintains that because omnichannel shopping is standard procedure for consumers, businesses have to adapt and provide a consumer journey across digital channels and devices that’s both concentrated and simple to navigate. Key digital and marketing trends Vegenski expects to impact the marketplace in 2021 includes:
1) Enhanced website search function and product details
2) Prioritization of mobile functionality
3) Machine Learning (AI & AR) opportunities
4) Data-driven insights and first-party data
5) Visual messaging adds impact
6) Interactive social content and the “anywhere” conversion
7) Voice search and commerce
8) Mobile app options
9) Values-based digital messaging
Microsoft Ads LinkedIn Profile Targeting: A Review
By Kamlyn Spivey | Dec 1, 2020
Kamlyn Spivey shares her results from a two-month test using Microsoft Ads LinkedIn Profile Targeting. The feature is in beta, but Spivey demonstrates how to access the feature for those that have the option. Interestingly, she reports her results were “lackluster,” and although the targeting didn’t hurt her performance, they didn’t necessarily help either.
The Agency Guide to Surviving Next Year’s Black Friday Week
By Kirk Williams | Dec 1, 2020
You made it through Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, and you can put the stress behind you. The last thing you want to do is start prepping for next year, right? But Kirk Williams wants you to strike while the iron is hot and be ready with lessons learned so that next year will be a breeze. He recommends:
1. Find Some Margin (Death to Meetings This Week)
2. Religiously Stick to the Pareto Principle
3. Prepare Early, Prepare Often (or Something Like That)
4. Avoid Bad Clients
We hope you learned something new you can apply to your PPC business strategy. Let us know in the comments below what you want to start implementing. As always, we are happy to be a resource for your paid advertising needs. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
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