Microsoft Advertising launched a new analytics dashboard to help publishers measure their advertising revenue more effectively. The dashboard, Monetize Insights, is now available worldwide on the tech giant’s supply-side platform, Microsoft Monetize. Monetize Insights provides performance intelligence and capabilities, such as:
All publishers leveraging Microsoft Monetize to sell owned and operated inventory can use Monetize Insights to analyze their ad revenue performance. Why we care. Monetize Insights should save publishers time. The dashboard eliminates the need for complex reporting setups by providing multiple views and tools. Total revenue tab. This tab provides access to key performance indicators (KPIs) such as impressions, ad requests, fill rate, win rate, and revenue. Its comparison charts reveal trends and significant changes. Bid Rejection tabs. These tabs offer access to information about revenue-impacting blocks, such as ad quality settings, enabling publishers to understand how inventory settings influence sales. Clear bid rejection values make it easy to pinpoint adjustments that can unlock revenue or validate past decisions. The Bid Rejection tabs include data across ad quality, deals, demand issues, and floor rules (the minimum bid amount a publisher can set for their inventory). Each view shows:
Deep dive. Read Microsoft’s announcement in full for more information. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/nuGqxH2
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Google confirmed that the November 2023 core update – the fourth core update this year – has completed rolling out. The update started on November 2, 2023, only a couple of weeks after the October 2023 core update, which started rolling out on October 5 and was completed on October 19. The November core update finished on November 28, 2023, 26 days after it started to roll out. What we saw. This update, like most previous core updates, felt big in terms of the number of sites that saw ranking volatility and the complaints from SEOs about the rollout. This November core update started off fast and had a very big impact right away. I covered what some of the SEOs noticed early on at the Search Engine Roundtable. Overlapping update. Keep in mind that the Google November 2023 reviews update started on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 and is still in progress. So those two updates were happening at the same time, but the impact of each update was experienced at different times by sites. Why we care. Google algorithm updates are critical for all brands, businesses, and organizations to be aware of because they can impact how your site performs in search results. Any change in rankings from a core update – positive or negative – can impact your organic traffic, conversions and revenue. Knowing when Google makes these updates enables site owners to know if traffic fluctuations resulted from a change to the site or something Google changed with its ranking algorithm. What to do if you are hit. Google has given advice on what to consider if you are negatively impacted by a core update in the past:
Previous core updates. Here’s a timeline and our coverage of recent core updates:
via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/wmKkU6Z TikTok has rolled out a new feature to help small businesses create content that is more engaging, relevant and relatable. Creative Cards are data-backed prompts offering creators tips on how to make posts that resonate more effectively with their audience. These cards are divided into five categories:
Why we care. Creative Cards may prove particularly valuable to brands that are new to TikTok and unsure of how to effectively optimize content for maximum exposure and engagement. This feature could also be handy for more experienced content creators in need of inspiration during the all-important holiday season. How it works. Content creators wanting to explore this new feature will need to register for access. Once access has been granted, you will be able to scroll through more than 100 digital cards for ideas. Breaking it down. Depending on what area of content creation you want assistance with, TikTok Creative Cards are split into categories:
What TikTok is saying. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement:
Deep dive. Read TikTok’s announcement in full for more information. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/g15tjxO The best SEO tactics aren’t high-level, complex theories, but simple, actionable insights. All the pivot tables in the world won’t save your bacon if you fail to drive results. And results come from outputs, from action, not analysis. So close out those multi-tab spreadsheets and roll up your sleeves. This short, simple article will help get you back to basics right in time to kick-start growth for next year. How to drive SEO results in the next six monthsSEO is a long-term game. That’s why your results next year will often come from what you’re doing this year. But what if that’s not soon enough, not fast enough or just not enough in general? If that’s the case, you need to adjust your payback period and the strategies or tactics you pick as a result. With SEO, you front-load an investment over the first few years to create an asset with a defensible moat that appreciates in value over time. Could you set your sights high, then? Should you dominate the top commercial, money-making term in your space? Definitely! There’s only one problem: you’re probably looking at years and millions to make it happen. That won’t help you today, next week or next month. Instead, try shifting your attention from what you don’t have and don’t rank for, to what you do have and are already ranking for. Here’s how. 1. Update and re-optimize content ranking outside the top fiveThe vast majority of ranking content doesn’t get seen, read or clicked. Only about the top five results on a SERP get roughly 80% of the love. (See nearly every SERP CTR study ever.) That means two things:
Contrary to popular belief, new content won’t help you much here because will take weeks-to-months-to-years to go from non-indexed to top five. Instead, start by looking at all existing content ranking in positions five to 15. Throw in a minimum volume floor to focus on the biggest bang for your buck. Then, set a keyword difficulty ceiling to prioritize the “lowest-of-low” hanging fruit. Voila. Now you’ve found some easy content pieces to update. More importantly, you’ve identified a few different scalable content ideas where you’re already showing some topical authority to help increase the time to rank new content when you’re ready to triple down on new output. 2. Update and re-optimize content showing keyword cannibalizationYou’re already ranking for some keywords. That’s great! But here are the common problems:
Here’s an example: The page in green (“/cat-health-insurance/”) is ranking for “pet insurance for cats.” That’s good! Hence, the green. But look at the terms in yellow. There are four keywords and two pages. That’s not a great sign unless you can prove significant SERP overlap. The first keyword is branded and blurred. (We can’t share all our secrets.) Yet it’s the homepage (“/”) ranking for a branded keyword, which is fine. However, the same homepage also ranks for top unbranded or non-branded keywords (like “pet insurance” or “dog pet insurance”). That’s bad! Unless those SERPs are already filled with homepages, which they aren’t, then you have keyword cannibalization screwing with the pages you actually want to show up here. Right on queue, look at the last one in yellow, the “/dog-health-insurance/” – which is being cannibalized by the homepage. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. If this is happening in a case like this, it’s almost certainly happening across many other areas of your site, too. No worries! Here’s all you have to do:
This is a super easy, five-step process that can quickly (in about zero to six months) pay dividends. 3. Update and re-optimize content that used to rank well but has lost rankings in the last 1 to 2 yearsSERPs are living, breathing things. They’re not static. They always evolve as searchers become more nuanced and information changes over time. Your competition for these SERPs is also evolving at the same time, upping their game and throwing more money plus talent at the same rankings you used to covet so dearly. The result? After a year or so of good rankings, you get complacent. Your attention shifts to other areas. You very quickly will start to slide backward into SERP obscurity.
Once again, look up your existing keyword rankings. This time, add a date filter to capture the historical rankings from the last year or two. Then, filter by the keywords and/or pages with the biggest drops during that time period. Exhibit C: The fact that you used to rank well for this keyword is another positive underlying sign. It hints at some level of topical authority and popularity around these relevant terms. And once again, updating and re-optimizing these pages – before worrying about publishing any brand new content – will likely yield a better ROI over the next three to six months than virtually anything else you could be prioritizing at the moment. To get faster results, take action nowSEO is an art and science. It can be technically challenging and confusing at times. The trick is not to lose the forest through the trees. All the thinking in the world doesn’t make up for inaction. Resist the tunnel-vision urge, pouring endless hours into analyzing, strategizing and talking yourself in circles. Instead, if you need to drive results ASAP, get back to the basics. Adjust your keyword research, content creation and link building efforts to fit a more appropriate short-term payback period. Double down on what you’ve already got or used to have, and let that help you drive results over the next few months. Today’s work will also have the added bonus of buying you time to shift your attention back to more ambitious, commercial and lucrative projects that might not pay off for at least a year. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/p0tNdrQ Google Bard can now answer questions about the content of YouTube videos. Bard now summarizes video footage when users enter a YouTube URL. Why we care. Expanding Bard’s capabilities could lead to greater engagement for content creators. Summaries of video content may also enhance users’ experiences. This functionality makes content more accessible, whether users are subscribing to a YouTube channel or making a purchase. Getting started. To integrate Bard with YouTube, turn on the YouTube extension toggle on the Bard website, as demonstrated in the screenshot below, shared by Skill Leap AI: Once the YouTube extension option is enabled, users can start a conversation with Bard by asking it a question relating to a video, such as:
Bard will then answer the prompt by serving a collection of approximately five videos from YouTube. Users can then ask for details about a video’s content, such as:
Bard will understand what is meant by “video 2” and provide a text summary, including a breakdown of the ingredients and methods. Bard can then provide more detailed information about the video. Some follow up prompts might include:
Accessibility. Bard’s new YouTube capabilities appear to have been rolled out to all users, suggesting a transition from the testing phase to general availability, according to Forbes. Extensions within Bard, including this feature, are only available for Gmail (personal) accounts at this time. Deep dive. Read our guide on how to use Google Bard for better SEO for more information on how to best utilize the chatbot for brand awareness. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/3KBRSn4 The pressure is on for marketing leaders as we round out the year. The directive is to end 2023 strong and prepare for 2024 long before it’s started. Although the new year is still weeks away, budget planning shouldn’t be a last minute shot in the dark. Budgets are created from company goals, historical data and forward-looking considerations. To make budgeting more difficult, CMOs face challenges going into 2024, including:
“Global advertising spend is set to grow […] 8.2% in 2024, a boost that will see the market top $1 trillion for the first time ever,” according to WARC’s Global Ad Spend Outlook 2023/24. Despite this prediction, budget cuts are common. Competition for ad inventory will continue; CPCs will rise, making improving efficiency all the more necessary. Current events like the Summer Olympics and US presidential election will create opportunities for brands to grab the spotlight. Advertisers should avoid pulling back on spend if they can afford to and take advantage of these high-profile events. With that in mind, the ideal PPC budget begins with your targets. Setting goalsTo set achievable goals, start with the big picture and get more granular. Not all channels will achieve the same outcomes, so platforms must work in tandem. Targeting, ad formats and costs per action differ from platform to platform, so a solid cross-channel strategy is crucial to achieving business objectives. For example, suppose the organization’s goal is to increase revenue. In that case, marketing channels might support that by:
How can each channel play to its strengths to work toward goals? Pull in your platform managers for brainstorming. Create a roadmap to keep objectives and tactics clear among media and consider how success will be measured differently across channels. For example, if your goal is to decrease sales cycle lengths, you will need to add touchpoints to your buyer journey to drive users to make quicker decisions. A roadmap might look like this: Evaluating the opportunityOnce your goals are established, it’s time to estimate what’s possible. Tools like the Google Performance can help. However, measuring available market share on channels like display, social and YouTube is not as simple. Each channel has its own performance forecasting tool to help you gauge a rough estimate of what you might get in return for a specific budget. For example, Google Performance Planner uses a slider to show what’s possible within the current campaigns. Compare it with your current/past spend. Think about how much you are willing to pay per result. You will eventually hit a point of diminishing returns. How far are you willing to push the efficiency envelope? Assessing cross-channel media mixAnalyzing the success of past performance by channel is important, especially when faced with budget cuts. A superficial examination may suggest a channel is underperforming, but a deeper dive could reveal that you haven’t accounted for the incremental value it provides. For instance, you may find LinkedIn’s cost per lead to be higher than other advertising channels, but ask yourself:
Multitouch attribution is ideal but tricky. Investing in an attribution tool can clarify what channels are performing best and allow for informed optimizations. A marketing team is only as good as the data it has to inform campaigns. Data cleanup will be a priority for many in 2024. Data clean rooms will continue to see adoption increase in the new year as a way for organizations to standardize their data and allow marketers to have a single source of truth for performance. It will be more important than ever to hold your team accountable for using appropriate tracking measures, i.e., platform conversion tracking, UTMs, proper CRM routing and attribution. Understanding what has worked or not worked in the past helps you move toward a cross-channel media mix for the coming year. Make adjustments as necessary to work toward meeting your ROAS goals. Turn off what truly isn’t working and reallocate dollars where they will go further. Dig deeper: Google’s attribution model shake-up: 3 solutions for advertisers Allocating budget for testingAdvertising is always changing. New features are always coming down the pike for PPC channels. Advertisers should prepare to allocate a portion of their budget to testing in the new year, setting aside at least 10-15% of their budget to test. Often, incremental budgets are put toward testing in a last-minute effort to boost results. Avoid the scrambling by planning for tests upfront. When considering a testing budget, think about the audience sizes.
Give your tests enough time and budget to understand the true incrementality. Dig deeper: Efficiency vs. volume in PPC: 4 tips to strike a balance in incremental conversions Forecasting outcomesOnce you’ve evaluated the opportunity, identified your channel mix and planned the tests you want to run, tie it all together to forecast the outcome. Consider the following:
Net-new launches are more difficult to forecast, but most platforms have their own forecasting tool to leverage based on audience size and budget. Take historical KPIs for similar campaigns/channels into consideration. Try reaching out to channel reps for industry or competitor benchmarks and/or poll your network on the KPIs and trends they’re seeing. Additionally, if you work with an advertising agency, lean on them for estimates and industry insights. Dig deeper: A guide to effective PPC projections Asking for more moneyAs those budget conversations begin to happen for the next year, make your case for additional budget compelling. Asking for additional funds requires:
Company executives set objectives, and they may need help understanding what to expect from digital marketing channels and how success is measured. Not everyone speaks the marketing language. Some executive-level training can help set expectations. Build an executive view for measuring performance as well. This can help your team think bigger and answer different questions the C-suite cares about. Decision-makers must understand why you’re asking for a budget increase. Explain what’s being left on the table at the current budget. The more data you have to back up your claims and forecast outcomes, the better your chance of securing that executive buy-in. Dig deeper: How to deliver PPC results to executives: Get out of the weeds via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/e2fNsGd An effective SEO strategy must evolve over time to account for changes within your company and the broader digital landscape. An annual review is key to keeping your approach up to date and results-driven. This article outlines critical internal and external elements you need to assess when refreshing your SEO plan, from website changes to competitive shifts to algorithm updates. You can evolve your SEO strategy with continuous shifts of priorities and changes that are reflected in a dynamic SEO roadmap, or you can develop a more defined annual or semi-annual process. For this article, we’ll work under the assumption this is an annual review to determine if priorities have changed in the last year (i.e., waterfall, rather than agile, for those who think that way). Internal elements to reviewA year is a long time, and things can change internally, whether they are processes or priorities. Before we shift our SEO strategy based on an external factor, we want to make sure the brand and the company can support it – and that it matters to the business. Your SEO strategy implementationStart by auditing what has successfully been implemented or what projects have been approved – from the first iteration of the SEO strategy translated into tactics through an SEO roadmap – and what has struggled. If possible, you’ll also want to see what impact that resulted from those changes. This will allow you to start mapping out the particular elements that impact your website and potentially your industry. Your websiteAs one of the key elements of your SEO strategy, you must understand any changes on your website’s backend. If you’re lucky, you’ll be familiar with this anyway, because you’ll either be embedded as a part of the development team or across their workflow and on good terms with the product or program owners. You also need to understand what’s changed on your website from a content perspective. A number of enterprise-level SEO tools have change records as a part of their software, or you could use tools like:
Otherwise, you may be able to use the “Last modified” or “Last edited” history within your CMS if those fields are recorded. Your products/offeringYour product and your company go through changes as well. Maybe this year, there was a fundamental shift from focusing on product A to launching and supporting product B. Or maybe the goals, targets and mission of the business have shifted, and it’s less focused on gaining new customers, but about retaining existing business. That fundamentally could shift both the content strategy and the technical focus of the website and should inform an evolution of your SEO strategy as well. Your processesMaybe a process has been improved and unblocked a lot of work you couldn’t get done in the last year, or potentially the reverse. While not exhaustive, these are good places to start understanding how things within your control have changed in the last 12 months and how they’re likely to change in the next 12. External elementsUnderstanding external changes involves assessing factors beyond your control. Determine whether immediate action is needed or if it’s better to address the issue before it becomes critical. This may lead to a broader business discussion requiring leadership’s approval, so be prepared for a potentially time-consuming process. Google algorithm updates or feature changesThis is an obvious one, but it’s worth stating: SEO strategies, to a certain extent, will always be reactive. While a good SEO strategy will be near-impervious to shifts in Google’s algorithms, the evolution comes in anticipating and acting toward future changes in how people search. It’s seeing things that may be a small consideration now, but you see the threads becoming bigger, like the “Experience” in E-E-A-T or Google’s SGE. What your competitors are doingWhile I’m a follower of the infinite game in business, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to what happens in your market. Instead, it means not measuring your success by it. If you find that most of your market has shifted to writing long-form, thought-leadership content, that’s at least worth tucking away in the corner of your mind. But whether you evolve your SEO strategy to address it depends on your wider goals. Understanding the market landscape is different from reacting to it, and any evolution of your SEO strategy needs to be informed by an accurate, timely understanding of the market where you operate. ChaosOne recommendation that has always stuck with me from Ian Lurie’s various strategy documents is to consider the chaos.
This thought exercise stretches your strategic muscles. It also helps you understand the edge cases and assess how resilient your processes and tactics are. Note how these edge cases would require you to shift or entirely change your strategy. Look to the futureThe evolution of the SEO strategy should include:
Armed with this up-to-date information, you’re well-positioned to evolve your SEO strategy and future-proof it by keeping the document live and loved. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/vCRdGTK Elevate customer loyalty in the hospitality sector through tailored experiences by Comarch11/28/2023 Imagine walking into a hotel room and discovering a personalized note next to a plate of your favorite food. Opening the note reveals information about hotel amenities and recommendations for local attractions aligned with your interests. It sounds like a dream scenario, doesn’t it? Personalization plays a crucial role in various industries, particularly in hospitality. It empowers businesses to customize experiences and services based on individual customer needs and preferences, ultimately leading to heightened satisfaction and loyalty. Ready to explore how personalized approaches can enhance customer loyalty in the hospitality sector? Let’s delve into this captivating domain. Understanding personalization in the hospitality industryPersonalization stands out as a growing trend in multiple sectors, with statistics revealing a significant uptick in its adoption. According to recent industry reports, the implementation of personalized approaches has increased by 30% across diverse business domains. This surge underscores the recognition of personalization’s pivotal role in enhancing customer experiences and fostering brand loyalty. In particular, the hospitality sector has witnessed a noteworthy 25% rise in incorporating personalized services and amenities, affirming its status as a frontrunner in embracing tailored experiences for patrons. However, it’s crucial to approach personalization with care to address guest privacy concerns. Overusing or mishandling customer data may make some guests uncomfortable and discourage them from returning. Additionally, not all establishments may have the capacity to provide extensive personalization options, and some efforts might burden staff with increased workloads. Successful implementation of personalization often requires advanced technology and data analytics in the hospitality sector. The Past and the future of personalizationThe concept of personalization in marketing dates back to the 1990s. However, merely targeting customers based on manual segmentation or personalizing a message using their name is no longer sufficient. With technological advancements, particularly in machine learning (ML) techniques and the growing utilization of artificial intelligence (AI), marketing activities can now be highly individualized and personalized. Machine learning collects three general types of data:
Strategies to personalize loyalty touchpoints in the hospitality sectorAfter gathering necessary data with ML or AI, the next step involves developing profiles to gain insights into individual preferences, behaviors and their relationship with your business. While customized communication is prevalent in today’s marketing strategies, it’s essential not to overlook it. Utilize customer preferences to suggest personalized dining options, activities or local experiences. The collected data can also inform the design of marketing campaigns aligned with individual customer profiles. Tailored services, such as offering choices in bedding, room amenities, room temperature, lighting or entertainment based on past stay data, can significantly enhance the guest experience. Real-time personalization enables customizing a customer’s journey during their stay by suggesting local attractions or events—an omnichannel approach can be incredibly valuable here. Personalize the survey after the stay to encourage completion and gather more data from your customers. Your communication should not end when your guest leaves the hotel or restaurant. Remind customers of your services and regularly update customer profiles to ensure ongoing customization. Adapt your strategies based on evolving market trends. All of this can be managed through a customer loyalty management program. Leading loyalty programs recognize and celebrate important occasions, offering personalized offers, messages, decorations or small gifts based on individual users’ preferences, spending habits and interests. Comarch Loyalty Marketing Platform – An exemplar of AI-powered personalization toolsAn exemplary tool that facilitates the creation of unique personalization solutions perfect for the hospitality industry is the Comarch Loyalty Marketing Platform. This AI-powered loyalty platform is perfect for delivering personalized customer experiences across multiple touchpoints. It achieves this through four main pillars:
The presented tools and additional features, such as gamification elements, fraud detection or a mobile app, help you build long-lasting customer relationships and, ultimately, lead to improved ROI. Personalization in the hospitality sector: ConclusionIn today’s dynamic hospitality landscape, personalized experiences can elevate a good hotel stay to a great one. More and more consumers expect brands to understand their preferences and be thoughtful, driving the industry to give their guests what they crave. Tailoring services and creating the ideal experience are key ingredients in increasing customer loyalty. Leverage technologies such as ML or AI in your marketing efforts for personalization and create the trip of a lifetime. If you want to learn more about trends in hospitality, download the “Hospitality Report 2023″ prepared by Comarch and The Loyalty People. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/DRhQoSK YouTube Shorts ads are being rolled out to more advertisers as the solution moves from beta to general availability. For the first time, Marketers are reporting the ability to choose Short ads as a video format, integrate them with in-stream ads and combine them with in-feed ads. While many advertisers worldwide are finally gaining access to these new options, Google notes that this feature is not yet available on all accounts, but will be rolled out to all advertisers within the coming months. Why we care. PPC consultant Kristian Maltzahn, who was the first to flag the feature on LinkedIn, told Search Engine Land:
Getting started. To check if the YouTube Shorts ad format is available on your YouTube Ads account, go to:
Expansion. Google Ads is reportedly planning to expand this feature to additional video campaign formats in the near future, so make sure you stay tuned for future updates. What Google is saying. A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land:
Deep dive. Read our guide to getting your YouTube Shorts noticed for tips and tricks for maximum engagement. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/nizZ75P Google Search supports discussion forum and profile page structured data. This functionality allows Google to show “first-person perspectives from social media platforms, forums, and other communities” within the search results. In addition, Google added new Search Console reports to support those who added structured data to their pages, the company announced. Profile page structured data. The new profile page structured data and markup is for any site where creators, either people or organizations, share first-hand perspectives. This markup will help Google highlight the creator’s name or social handle, profile photo, follower count, or the popularity of their content in the Google search results. This information is also available in the Perspectives and Discussions and Forums search result features. Here is what it may look like: Discussion forum structured data. The new discussion forum structured data and markup is for any forum-style site where people collectively share first-hand perspectives. “When forum sites add this markup, Google Search can better identify online discussions across the web and make use of this markup in features such as Discussions and Forums and Perspectives,” Google explained. Here is what it looks like: Changes to Q&A markup. Google also updated its Q&A markup to say if you are already using Q&A markup for your question and answer user forums. The company is updating the Q&A structured data documentation to be more in line with the richness of the new discussion forum guidelines. You don’t need to use both types of structured data on the same page. You should instead use the one that’s best suited to your use case:
Search Console reports. Google added new Search Console reports, which maybe why the tool went down earlier today, to help site owners monitor discussion threads and profile page markup issues. These reports show you valid items related to your marked-up pages. The company also updated the Rich Results Test to help you test and validate your markup. Here are screenshots of those reports: Why we care. With the rise of the new personalized search features, including how Google is promoting creators more in search through perspectives and other areas, it may make sense to implement these new structured data types. Google probably won’t support these elements forever but you may get a higher click-through rate if you add these to your pages. The post Google Search now supports discussion forum and profile page structured data appeared first on Search Engine Land. via Search Engine Land https://ift.tt/WlvZbPQ |
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