Today in Digital Marketing - Is Instagram Even Trying Any More?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Today, Instagram now wants to be real, SEO practitioners aren't phased by this week's Google search algorithm update, the rise of DTC advertising, and more brand safety comes to the podcast ad world. It's Tuesday, August 23rd. I'm Todd Maffin. Here's what you missed today in digital marketing. Some late-breaking news to start before we begin the show. I am seeing on Twitter a number of reports saying that campaigns being launched today on the meta ad platform are disappearing. That apparently you can only see the ad level only in some cases. Some people are reporting this on Twitter. So if you run some ads on meta, maybe go check your ad manager. All right, on with the show. Well, here we go again. A couple of weeks ago, we told you about how Instagram was copying

Starting point is 00:00:48 features from the new social platform in town, Be Real, including dual camera mode and QR code posts. Now we have proof that Instagram has not had a single original thought since 2010. The platform is testing a new feature called Candid Challenges, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Be Real. Here's how it works. Instagram users participating in Candid Challenges will get a notification at a different time each day to take a photo of their surroundings. On receiving the prompt, the camera will open the dual camera tool. Users have two minutes to capture and share a photo. So yeah, basically it's identical to BeReal.

Starting point is 00:01:29 An Instagram spokesperson confirmed the feature is an internal prototype, but declined to elaborate. It's becoming more obvious every day that Instagram has no idea what it is anymore. And here is more proof. In its push to Reels, now Instagram is testing a new switch to full screen feed option for feed filtering. The platform recently launched a test of a TikTokified full screen main feed, but it faced major backlash.

Starting point is 00:01:56 As a result, Instagram stopped the test and said it wouldn't be introducing the format anytime soon. Now it looks like they are putting it behind an optional toggle switch. Maybe giving people the choice will make them like it more? With Google's helpful content algorithm update looming this week, how are SEO professionals feeling? A recent Twitter poll found most are waiting it out to see what happens, but many are confident their content is helpful. The poll asked, does the announcement have you concerned? According to the final results, 47 said they are unsure and waiting it out. 45% said, no, my content is helpful. And just one in 10 are concerned and plan to improve their content. Here's SearchEngineLand.com's take on the results.

Starting point is 00:02:42 Quote, I'm surprised that so many people think their own content is helpful, but we're all biased to think our content is great. After all, we're producing it. That's exactly why it's important to have an objective, data-based way to assess content. Just remember, Google's new algorithm uses machine learning to detect helpfulness of content. It will be interesting to see whether Google can truly distinguish between helpful and unhelpful content, unquote. Google said it will take up to two weeks for the update to roll out. May the algorithm be in your favor.

Starting point is 00:03:15 Despite Apple's move to ATT, a recent report indicates direct-to-consumer advertising is on the rise again again with TikTok reaping the rewards. A VP at the agency Audience X says he has seen more large brands from sneakers to retailers exploring DTC routes to get more bottom of funnel action in the past few months. This according to Digiday.com. So what platforms are seeing this surge in ad spend? Facebook had the highest median monthly spend in July at 19,000, but that was down $2,000 year over year. Google's median was $8,200, up only $100, while TikTok's median spend grew to $6,000, up $2,000 from last year. Companies that advertised on all three platforms saw similar shifts in spending. Facebook's share of the pie dropped to 60% from 75% year over year. Google share increased a bit from 20 to 25% and TikTok share doubled from 7% to 14%.

Starting point is 00:04:14 Do you have business insurance? If not, how would you pay to recover from a cyber attack, fire damage, theft, or a lawsuit? No business or profession is risk-free. Without insurance, your assets are at risk from major financial losses, data breaches, and natural disasters. Get customized coverage today starting at $19 per month at zensurance.com. Be protected. Be Zen. text and applies machine learning and language processing to the content. With brand safety top of mind for many brands, Odyssey hopes the partnership will attract more advertisers. Quoting a company executive,

Starting point is 00:05:12 Brand safety has been something that has maybe been a challenge and held some brands back. With folks like Soundr and their ability to bring this type of validation and verification to the marketplace, this can only help accelerate the way that brands leverage and use podcasting at scale, unquote. Sounders technology will be implemented across all of Odyssey's production subsidiaries. What might finally be happening, the ability to watch multiple things at once without the need for 500 different devices. Several new features are expected to be released by YouTube, according to a recent non-public presentation that Google gave its smart TV partners. First, YouTube TV could soon let viewers watch up to four channels at the same

Starting point is 00:05:56 time. Protocol reports that YouTube's live TV streaming service is adding a feature called Mosaic Mode, which would let consumers stream up to four live feeds simultaneously by dividing the TV display into quadrants, which could be one mighty ad placement. Next up, Google also discussed optimizations coming for watching shorts on the big screen. The report suggests that YouTube Shorts interface on smart TVs could eventually ditch the scroll bar used to browse through videos and could offer quick access to thumbs-up and thumbs-down buttons. Shorts are currently available in YouTube's app on some smart TVs, but they play using a standard YouTube interface

Starting point is 00:06:32 that is not really suitable for the short-form format. Protocol noted that the platform has a big advantage here because YouTube is pre-installed on many TVs. Finally, YouTube Music is working on new features for smart TVs, including the ability for users to browse and add playlists and albums to their libraries. Google is begging, I mean reminding you to upgrade your local campaigns to Performance Max. Earlier today, the company announced the self-upgrade tool for local campaigns has become available to eligible advertisers and will continue to roll out in phases throughout the rest of the month and into September.

Starting point is 00:07:10 Google recommends using the tool to upgrade your campaigns as soon as possible to get a head start on the holiday season. Quoting the company, you will have access to the self-upgrade tool before automatic upgrades begin, if you choose not to use the self-upgrade tool, then you will receive a notification in Google Ads a few weeks before your campaigns are automatically upgraded to help you prepare. If your campaigns are not eligible for the self-upgrade tool and you are not notified about an automatic upgrade, then your local campaigns will not be upgraded to Performance Max until 2023. If your campaigns have access to the self-upgrade tool and do not auto-upgrade by the end of September, you will continue to have access to the self-upgrade tool

Starting point is 00:07:52 until auto-upgrade resumes in 2023, unquote. You can access this self-upgrade tool from the notification, the recommendations page, or the campaigns page in Google Ads. So that's it. Short episode today. It always is this last week of August. I guess everyone's taking holidays. Steph, we'll see you tomorrow. I'll see you on Thursday.

Starting point is 00:08:13 I'll see you on Thursday.

Today in Digital Marketing - Is Instagram Even Trying Any More?

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