UK desktop ad viewability improvements, Google's first-price auction rollout, Facebook's political ad policies changes, YouTube's inappropriate content removal update

This week has brought with it the news that the UK is seeing great rates of desktop ad viewability, with viewability reaching a record high in the second quarter of the year - great news for digital advertisers! In other advertising news, after months of testing, Google is set to start rolling out its new first-price auction rollout, which has reportedly had good results so far. Facebook is also making changes to ad policies, this time relating to political ads and those that tackle social issues. These changes are aimed to provide greater visibility over political advertising ahead of the 2020 US elections. Our final big news story is the week is that YouTube has provided an update on its efforts to remove inappropriate content from the platform, with thousands of hate speech videos being…

Google to launch RCS messaging, brands failing at acting on social purpose, influencer marketing under fire, TikTok explodes in China, Facebook Top Fan targeting

We've taken a look at some of the news stories you should know about this week, including: Google made an interesting decision when it announced that it was no longer waiting for phone makers and networks to roll out RCS messaging. The tech giant is set to make the improved messaging service available for select Android features by the end of the month after a lot of delays. A survey has revealed that while social purpose is important to brands, they are failing to walk the walk when it comes to actually putting initiatives in place. This could ultimately leave to issues when attracting both customers and talent. Influencer marketing has come under fire after it was revealed that a 'surprise' life event was actually part of a marketing opportunity,…

Google changes search results, Instagram has fastest growing brand value, video is most engaging in-app ad format, Facebook meeting with anti-censorship groups, YouTube cracks down on white supremacist content, TikTok testing new ad targeting tools

One of the biggest updates recently - besides Google's algorithm update - is the news that the search engine will be changing how search results are displayed, which could drastically affect traffic numbers. Other stories have seen Instagram be announced at the fastest growing brand in terms of value, topping Amazon. When it comes to in-app ads, video has been found to be the most engaging in a new study. Facebook has faced more protests about its censorship of female nipples but the platform has now agreed to meet anti-censorship groups to discuss the issue. YouTube has followed in Facebook's steps to take a harsher stance on white supremacist and Holocaust denier content. Finally, TikTok is reportedly testing new tools that…

In its recent comparative advertising campaign, Google promotes its Pixel 3a model as a cheaper and higher quality choice over Apple’s XS, putting it side-by-side with the Apple product in a face-off of the tech giants.

Why beat about the bush in advertising when you can directly compare your own product to a competitor’s higher-priced and (in Google’s opinion) inferior one? We’ve seen examples of this kind of advertising for many years, from supermarket chains’ regular competitor comparisons to the “Get a Mac“ campaigns of the noughties. It appears that Google felt it was high time that this time round a company went after Apple. Indeed, Google has set its sights on Apple, with billboards and video ads from the Alphabet-owned company claiming that the Pixel 3a provides better quality low-light photography at a fraction of the…

Google search results update, LinkedIn's ad tab, Instagram data breach, digital ad complaint increase and Pinterest does Pride Month

This week has seen a few interesting announcements, including the fact that Google is updating how its search results look, impacting the way paid results are showcased. LinkedIn has announced that it is aiming to improve transparency with a new ad tab for company pages while Facebook is investigating a possible Instagram data breach. On top of this, the ASA has released data on advert complaints, showing that complaints about digital ads now outpace those about TV adverts. Finally, Pinterest has revealed some interesting data around Pride Month, as well as some new features to help celebrate it. Find out more about these stories with our latest news roundup.  

Google updates mobile search results

Google is updating the way its search listings look,…

Take an hour to create your profile and your business will look much better in search results

It’s startling how many local businesses have failed to claim their Google My Business profile after the free marketing tool has been available for half a decade. Some would say it’s an essential element of your digital marketing strategy – but up to 56% of local retailers have failed to do this bit of SEO housekeeping in a period when we’ve all been busy with the gold rush of social media presence. Another reason for putting it off is that it may seem like a complicated thing to do. For small business owners who do their own SEO, the stats and admin offered by various services are alien to the creative business instincts that drive them to get started in the first place. However, it’s actually very easy to set up a…

Consumers don't trust influencers, Facebook launches 3 new ad tools for small businesses, Amazon storing UK biometric data, Facebook relaxes cryptocurrency ad rules, Google's new consumer privacy plans, Facebook removes "dangerous users", digital ad revenues top $1bn, Facebook political ad warning and Singapore passes 'fake news' law.

This week has seen a number of big digital and marketing stories in the headlines. We've taken a look at some of the biggest, including new findings that show only 4% trust information shared by celebrity influencers, bloggers and vloggers. On top of this, Facebook has announced three new advertising tools that are aimed at helping small businesses make the most of the platform. There are also concerns being raised about a new Home Office contract that could see Amazon storing biometric information belonging to millions of people in the UK. Other Facebook news reveals that the platform is loosening its rules on advertising related to cryptocurrencies…

Twitter's new reporting tool ahead of elections, LinkedIn's new 'services' feature, Facebook suing a company for selling fake 'likes', Instagram replacing travel brochures, Sri Lankan blocks social media following terrorist attacks, Snapchat seeing user recovery and Google adds fun Avengers-themed feature

This week has seen another update to Twitter, this time to help stop the spread of misinformation ahead of elections. A new reporting feature will allow users to flag incorrect information that could influence people's election decisions. LinkedIn is helping freelancers and business-owners showcase their services on their profile with a new trial feature. Facebook has launched a lawsuit against a company and individuals who have been selling fake engagement on Instagram. New research has found that more people turn to Instagram to find holiday locations than travel agents, with many people choosing destinations based on how photogenic they are. The Sri Lankan government has blocked social media while investigations into the terrorist attacks…

Google's latest EU regulator fine, Facebook removing millions of videos showing New Zealand terrorist attack, NZ advertisers pulling Google and Facebook following shooting, Instagram's in-app checkout launches in the US and LinkedIn's new advertising features

Read more about some of the biggest and most important stories in the marketing and advertising industries with our latest news roundup. This week, we look at Google's latest fine from the European Commission, the backlash following videos of the shooting in New Zealand being uploaded to Facebook and other platforms, Instagram's latest shopping feature and how LinkedIn is aiming to make life easier for advertisers on the platform.

Google hit by €1.49 billion AdSense fine

Google has been fined €1.5 billion by European regulators for blocking other online search advertisers. The European Commission (EC) accused Google of stopping the placement of rival’s ads in certain spots, effectively breaking EU…

Facebook's latest outage affects billions, Google removed billions of ads in 2018, advertisers concerned over Brexit uncertainty, WHO calls for stricter junk food digital ad regulations, UK government seeks digital competition review and Facebook removes fake account network

This week saw Facebook's family apps get into trouble, leaving billions of people across the world unable to access accounts or upload content. Google has announced that it removed billions of "bad ads" in 2018, although figures were down on 2017. Advertisers have shared concerns about the possible effects of Brexit in the wake of continued uncertainty. WHO is seeking to protect children's health after its report found that more junk food advertising is now taking place online following the introduction of stricter regulations across traditional media. An independent review has led to the UK government to call on the CMA to look at competition in digital media. Finally, Facebook has removed a network of around 100 fake…