ClickZ Social and Search Round-up Analysis: June Edition

#1. Meta launches ‘people-based’ ad measurement tools to tackle click and cookie-based inaccuracies for Facebook and Instagram

This will help advertisers determine how Meta ads impact their bottom line and enable future marketing decisions based on accurate data. Conversion lift accurately compares conversions in test and control groups and addresses measurement challenges such as over-reliance on clicks, the shift to mobile, and ineffective testing methods. (Source)

• 💡 Facebook launched cross-device reporting in 2014, allowing advertisers to understand the devices used in the path to purchase.
• 📈 In 2015, Facebook introduced Lift measurement, which uses test and control groups to demonstrate the additional business generated from ads.
• 🚀 Facebook is testing ways to make Lift measurement more widely available through APIs, Facebook Marketing Partners, and measurement partners. They are also testing new fields in ads reporting to track the ads that led to conversions.

Actionable advice

Enhance your ad campaigns by exploring people-based measurement tools and methodologies for accurate insights into ad performance and conversions. This means using Meta’s cross-device reporting and lift measurement capabilities to refine targeting and attribution strategies, provide valuable insights into consumer behaviors and additional business generated from ads. Optimize measurement strategies by testing and scaling measurement solutions through partners, APIs, new ad reporting fields, including lift measurement. Read up on the Meta IQ Report for additional knowledge on effective measurement strategies to optimize ad campaigns and drive tangible business growth.

#2. VOICEBOX, Meta’s one-of-its-kind speech-generative AI launched for audio editing, sampling, and styling

Prior to Voicebox, generative AI for speech required specific training for each task using carefully prepared training data. Meta’s model is based on the Flow Matching method, which improves upon diffusion models and enables (Read more...) model to modify any part of a given sample, not just the end. It claims to outperform the current state-of-the-art models in terms of both intelligibility and audio similarity in tasks such as zero-shot text-to-speech and cross-lingual style transfer. (Source)

• 🌍 Cross-lingual style transfer: Voicebox can generate readings of text in different languages by using a sample of someone’s speech. It supports English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, and Portuguese.
• 💡 Potential applications: Voicebox could provide natural-sounding voices for virtual assistants and non-player characters in the metaverse. It could also help visually impaired individuals hear written messages in familiar voices and assist creators in easily creating and editing audio tracks for videos.
• 🧪 Facebook’s generative AI research: Voicebox represents an important advancement in Facebook’s research in generative AI for speech. The company is excited to explore further possibilities in the audio space and encourages other researchers to build upon their work.

Actionable advice

To fully utilize Voicebox, explore its capabilities in enhancing virtual assistant experiences with more natural and human-like voices. It also improves accessibility by allowing visually impaired individuals to hear written messages in familiar voices. Creators can enable easy creation and editing of audio tracks, enhancing content creation capabilities. Additionally, brands can leverage Voicebox for cross-lingual communication, facilitating authentic conversations between individuals speaking different languages. Marketers should stay updated on further developments and advancements in generative AI research in the audio space, as Voicebox represents a significant step forward.

#3. TikTok’s new in-app feature ‘TikTok Creative Challenge’ brings an opportunity for branded creativity and authenticity in ad campaigns

The buying decisions of Gen Z’s and millennials are significantly determined by influencer recommendations, leading to new product and brand purchases. TikTok’s Creative Challenge is a step in the same direction with its new UGC program that pays creators to produce ads for brands. The program is currently in beta testing, offering creators up to $34,000 per month based on ad spend and performance milestones. However, eligibility for the exclusive program is limited. (Source)

• 📊 Performance Metrics: Rewards are influenced by factors such as qualified video views, clicks, and conversions.
• 📌 Creator Resources: Creators enrolled in the TikTok Creative Challenge have access to a dedicated Creator Community group and a Mentor Program to connect with others and share knowledge.
• 💼 Helping Brands: TikTok Creative Challenge provides brands with authentic and high-performance creative content at scale, simplifying the process of connecting with performance-driven creators.
• 🛠️ Other Brand Tools: TikTok offers various advertising solutions, including Branded Effects, Branded Mission, Commercial Music Library, Pulse, and TikTok Creator Marketplace, to help brands connect and engage with the TikTok community.

Actionable advice

To maximize engagement and reach on TikTok, marketers should recognize the significance of creators and their impact on culture. Collaborating with creators through the TikTok Creative Challenge generates authentic content for advertising campaigns. Additionally, utilize available resources, like the Creator Community group and Mentor Program, to foster connections and knowledge sharing. For simplified performance advertising and high-quality content, brands can leverage the Creative Challenge. When developing partnerships or sponsored content brands must consider the monetization and reward opportunities available for creators on TikTok.

#4. LinkedIn debuts AI tools – CMO Scorecard, B2B Index and Leaderboard, Thought Leader Ads, Audience Insights API for marketers

The AI tools aim to reduce marketers’ daily workload, allowing them to enhance their performance and focus on more significant tasks. The new features are currently being tested in English with a small group of customers in North America. (Source)

• 👥 Roughly 2 in 3 B2B CMOs and CFOs say the importance of the CMO has increased in the eyes of the C-suite.
• 💵 80% of B2B CMOs have learned the language of finance.
• 📈 65% of B2B marketing leaders expect budgets to grow over the next year.
• 📊 The CMO Scorecard within the B2B Edge consultancy program showcases how paid advertising can drive business impact.
• 🌐 The B2B Index and B2B Leaderboard help maximize paid and organic marketing efforts.
• 📣 Thought Leader Ads, Conversation Ads, and In-Stream Video Ads enable engaging audience reach.

Actionable advice

Stay fluent in the language of finance to align strategies with business goals and anticipate budget growth for smart investment planning. Engage your target audience meaningfully through Thought Leader Ads, Conversation Ads, In-Stream Video Ads, Audience Insights API, and Pages Messaging. Senior professionals can explore AI-generated Copy Suggestions, and use the CMO Scorecard to showcase paid advertising’s business impact.

#5. Meta’s latest safety and supervision tool lets parents monitor their teen’s usage and settings (without reading their messages) on Meta and Instagram

Marketers can enhance their brand reputation and engagement by leveraging safety features, knowing that parents and teens are more likely to trust brands that prioritize online safety. Meta’s dedication to educational resources and partnerships provides marketers with opportunities to align their campaigns with responsible digital practices, positioning their brand as socially conscious. (Source)

• ⏰ Parents can view the amount of time their teen spends on Messenger, receive updates on their contacts list, privacy settings, and get notified when their teen reports someone.
• ⏳ Meta is working on implementing time management features for teens, including notifications and time limits on Facebook and Instagram.
• 🤝 Meta has added new features to Parental Supervision on Instagram, such as notices after blocking someone and the ability for parents to see shared friends.

Actionable advice

Brands can support teens and their families by informing them about parental supervision tools through marketing campaigns, educational material, or social media posts. Collaborate with Meta to develop resources and tools that promote online safety and responsible digital behavior. This includes incorporating parental supervision and privacy features into messaging and product development to resonate with parents. Emphasize the importance of setting boundaries and managing screen time, such as promoting features like “Take a Break” on Instagram, can be effective. Engage in discussions and partnerships with experts in child development, online safety, and mental health can establish brands as responsible and supportive entities in the online ecosystem. Inform your digital advertising by testing campaigns to identify peak time frames to optimize engagement with Gen Z, Millennials, and Boomers.

#6. Google unveils Demand Gen and Video Views AI tools to maximize video campaign efficiency and engagement

These tools aim to increase viewership and facilitate the dissemination of marketers’ best visual assets across platforms like YouTube, YouTube Shorts, Discover, and Gmail. They offer tailored creatives, simplified ad construction, and enhanced engagement metrics. (Source)

• 🎥 Video View campaigns maximize views across in-stream, in-feed, and YouTube Shorts within a single campaign, achieving a 40% increase in views compared to skippable cost-per-view campaigns.
• 🎯 Demand Gen offers a construction flow that simplifies bringing image and video assets into Google Ads, allowing preview before running the campaign.
• 🎯 Lookalike segments can be utilized to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of campaigns by pairing tailored creatives with audience lists.
• 📊 Early alpha testers, including Arcane, have already experienced success with Demand Gen campaigns.

Actionable advice

Use AI-powered solutions to connect effectively with consumers by integrating best-performing assets across visual touchpoints. Use lookalike segments and gain crucial insights into campaign performance to make informed advertising decisions. Stay informed about upcoming beta opportunities and sign up as an early tester to prepare for the broader rollout of these solutions later in the year to remain competitive and leverage advanced advertising capabilities.

#7. Microsoft and Moody partner to pioneer advancements in risk analysis by using generative AI and the Azure OpenAI Service

The partnership aims to develop an artificial intelligence assistant called “Moody’s Research Assistant.” This tool aims to assist in analyzing large amounts of information for risk assessment purposes. The company plans to release a version of the assistant to select clients later this year, with potential future expansions into tasks like lending and underwriting. (Source)

• 🤝 The partnership aims to pioneer advancements in risk analysis by leveraging generative AI to provide deeper and integrated perspectives on risk using the Azure OpenAI Service.
• 💼 Moody’s and Microsoft are co-creating new products and services for research and risk assessment.
• 🤖 Moody’s has deployed “Moody’s CoPilot,” an internal copilot tool, to its 14,000 global employees, combining Moody’s data and research with Microsoft’s generative AI technology to drive firm-wide innovation.
• 💻 Moody’s is adopting Microsoft Teams as a collaboration platform to enhance productivity and communication while maintaining compliance standards.
• 📈 Microsoft and Moody’s will explore the delivery of data to shared customers through Microsoft Fabric, an analytics platform for end-to-end data management.
• ☁️ Moody’s commits to using Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform to power its generative AI capabilities and cloud-based applications.

Actionable advice

To drive innovation and productivity, explore the potential of next-generation data, analytics, and research solutions by leveraging the partnership between Moody’s and Microsoft. Enhance productivity and innovation within your organization by utilizing AI-powered tools like Moody’s CoPilot or similar solutions. Evaluating Microsoft Teams as a communication and collaboration platform to streamline workflows, and improve data access and collaboration. Businesses can stay informed about the development of Microsoft Fabric and identify opportunities to leverage the platform for end-to-end data management and analytics. Keep an eye on this space for updates on the partnership progress between Moody’s and Microsoft marketers for future potential collaborations and solutions for brand and marketing strategies.

#8. Google Analytics 4 introduced conversion attribution settings to offer greater flexibility for administrators

Users can now choose whether conversion credit is assigned to only paid Google Ads campaigns or both paid and organic channels. By utilizing new dimensions, metrics, and improvements in the audience builder businesses and brands now have the option to tailor conversion attribution based on their marketing priorities and goals. (Source)

• 📊 Introducing the Business objectives collection: Google Analytics 4 now offers tailored reports based on business information provided during setup, aligning with Google Ads and campaign objectives.
• 🔀 Upgraded attribution for web conversions imported into Google Ads: Fractional, cross-channel web conversion credits from Google Analytics 4 are now imported into Google Ads, improving accuracy and optimization.
• 🔢 Conversion counting method: A new counting method setting allows users to choose between Once per event (recommended) and Once per session (legacy) for conversion events in Google Analytics 4 properties.
• ⚠️ Attribution model changes: First-click, linear, time-decay, and position-based attribution models are no longer available in Google Analytics 4.

Actionable advice

Import conversions from Google Analytics 4 into Google Ads to access valuable data and enhance advertising performance. Explore the GA 4 Audience Export API to export user and device IDs for integration with other platforms. Review and adjust channel eligibility for receiving conversion credit in Google Ads based on marketing strategies. By linking AdSense accounts to Google Analytics 4 properties marketers can gain deeper insights into ad revenue optimization. Brands can also link Search Console accounts to GA for access to new dimensions and search traffic data. Leverage custom funnel reports and user purchase journey reports to analyze user behavior effectively and optimize conversion funnels. Overall marketers and brands can take advantage of these enhancements to prepare for the phasing out of certain attribution models by transitioning to alternative models for reporting and analysis.

#9. Reddit launches Contextual Keyword Targeting and Product Ads to help advertisers reach and engage highly valuable customers

The platform aims to provide advertisers with the ability to target specific keywords and reach users based on their engagement with relevant terms. Additionally, Product Ads will enable brands to showcase product descriptions, pricing information, and a ‘Shop Now’ call-to-action (CTA) to drive direct shopping activity. (Source)

• 🛍️ Product Ads connect brands with consumers in research mode, providing product information and a direct link to the product page.
• 📈 Redditors are higher-value customers with 2x more category purchases, 2.5x more per spend purchase, and are more likely to talk positively about and trust brands that advertise on Reddit.
• 🌍 Contextual Keyword Targeting and Product Ads are now available in beta to qualified Reddit advertisers worldwide.

Actionable advice

Marketers can utilize Contextual Keyword Targeting on Reddit to position their brand within relevant conversations and deliver value to users. You can do so by selecting specific keywords that align with brand or ad copy to enhance relevance and reach potential customers within Reddit’s large and engaged communities. Brands can use Product Ads to connect with consumers throughout their research and purchase journey, providing detailed product information, pricing, and a clear call-to-action to drive sales. Brands can also import existing catalogs and make the most of the platform for streamlined campaign setup and management. By recognizing the value of Reddit’s highly engaged user base marketers can tap into the platform for full-funnel advertising opportunities.

#10. Reddit introduces a pricing structure for commercial entities that use its API while maintaining free access to non-monetized apps

The changes aim to create a healthier ecosystem and prevent large companies from using Reddit content for training large language models (LLMs) without payment. Commercial access to the API will incur charges, and prior approval from Reddit is required for using Reddit content for LLM training. (Source)

• 📊 Reddit has implemented a pricing structure for commercial entities that use their API extensively to cover infrastructure and opportunity costs.
• 👥 Most apps, around 98%, that are not monetized and stay below the data-usage threshold will continue to have free access to Reddit’s Data API.
• 🔞 Reddit does not serve ads in NSFW communities or adjacent to NSFW content, and moderators incorrectly marking a community as NSFW is a violation of their policies.
• 📅 Reddit has announced key dates for their API terms and services, including rate limits and changes to access mature (explicit) content via the Data API.

Actionable advice

Marketers can harness Reddit’s active communities for effective campaigns and brand promotions. They should assess API pricing changes’ impact on strategies and third-party partnerships. Improved moderator tools and the Developer Platform offer opportunities to enhance brand presence and engagement. Staying updated on API announcements allows adapting marketing strategies. Inclusive brand experiences can be created by considering accessibility improvements and collaborating with non-commercial app developers. Adhering to Reddit’s policies safeguards brand reputation and ensures compliance. Utilize available resources to understand Reddit’s API and explore integration opportunities aligning with brand objectives. Maximize marketing impact by leveraging Reddit’s communities and API capabilities.

#11. Twitter introduced a temporary cap on the number of tweets users can read to address data scraping and system manipulation

Users now need to log in to view tweets and profiles, which is a change from the previous practice. The restrictions have caused some users to be locked out of Twitter. Users of TweetDeck, a popular social media dashboard, are particularly affected by these daily limits. (Source)

• 🚫 Twitter has implemented temporary limits on unverified accounts to 1,000 posts, new unverified accounts to 500 posts, and verified accounts to 10,000 posts, ensuring a better user experience for normal users.
• 📉 Stricter limits were initially set but later changed: Elon Musk adjusted the limits within hours of announcing them, relaxing the restrictions.
• 🌍 Reports of problems accessing Twitter were made in the UK and the US, and Elon Musk mentioned bringing large numbers of servers online on an emergency basis.

Actionable advice

Marketers can stay vigilant in monitoring the impact of temporary limits on user behavior and engagement on Twitter. They must assess the potential implications for advertising revenue due to limited scroll time and evaluate the long-term effects of Twitter’s monetization strategies, including paid subscriptions and unlimited post access. Explore alternative data sources or partnerships to ensure a steady supply of high-quality training data for AI-powered applications. Monitor the stability and performance of Twitter to evaluate the effects on brand visibility and communication strategies.

#12. IAS expands TikTok partnership for brand safety measurement to 23 new markets

Integral Ad Science (IAS) has expanded its partnership with TikTok to bring its brand safety and suitability measurement product to advertisers in 23 new markets. This expansion reflects the increasing popularity of TikTok and the demand for actionable data by marketers to maximize advertising ROI. (Source)

• 🧠 IAS’s Total Media Quality for TikTok utilizes advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze video content frame-by-frame, providing marketers with unique insights into the quality of their media buys.
• 🌎 The Total Media Quality brand safety and suitability measurement by IAS will now be available in 30 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Turkey, and Vietnam.
• 📚 IAS and TikTok had previously partnered for brand safety and suitability measurement in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Actionable advice

To maximize advertising success on TikTok in newly added markets, senior marketers can utilize IAS’s Total Media Quality product for brand safety and suitability measurement. Optimize media buys by leveraging IAS’s AI-driven insights to ensure ads are placed alongside relevant content, enhancing campaign performance. In this context it makes sense to take advantage of TikTok’s commitment to a safe environment and brand transparency, confidently delivering brand messages. Brands must foster collaboration between IAS, and TikTok, to maintain transparency and trust in advertising on the platform.

#13. Pinterest launches next stage of data clean rooms trial with Wayfair

Pinterest is launching the next stage of its data clean room trial with LiveRamp, and Wayfair will be the first business to incorporate the new process. This move is aimed at countering the loss of insights caused by Apple’s iOS 14 update and other privacy measures. Data clean rooms ensure that data used for targeting and analytics is not accessible by third parties, enabling comparable audience targeting to social apps. (Source)

• 🧹 Wayfair is the first home retailer to participate in Pinterest’s next stage of its data clean room trial.
• 📈 Wayfair will receive aggregated insights into the performance of their ads on Pinterest in a privacy-safe manner.
• 💡 This integration may enable advanced segmentation and lookalike reach based on customer lists and Pinterest information.
• 💔 Data loss has been a major concern in the digital marketing sector, and clean rooms have emerged as a potential solution.

Actionable advice

Consider incorporating data clean rooms into analytics and targeting processes. Monitor the results of Wayfair’s integration with Pinterest’s data clean room process to assess its impact and effectiveness for future marketing strategies. Utilize insights from data clean room integration to enhance Pin analytics, enabling advanced segmentation and reaching lookalike audiences.

---