What's Hot In Digital: March 2016

The Smart Insights View

Keep up with the latest changes in digital marketing by taking a look at some of the most important blogs, news, updates and resources from the last month.

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The Smart Insights View

Need to know about the latest changes that matter in digital marketing? Here, Dr. Dave Chaffey of Smart Insights gives his personal assessment of the most significant changes this month.

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A new report showing retail product reviews are critical to boosting ecommerce revenue

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How does your 'marketing stack' compare? Do you use the same tools as the best in the business?

Creating Facebook Canvas ads: a step-by-step guide

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Taking you through setting up Facebook's new Canvas ads

Measuring Digital Campaigns using VQVC

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Grant LeBoff interviews Dave Chaffey on Measuring Digital Campaigns

How do mobile responsive emails impact on open and click rates?

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New research on how email readers interact with marketing emails

The BIG Platform Changes

To maintain visibility of your brand and grow engagement with your online audiences you need to keep on top of the latest features and algorithm updates big five technology platforms, that's Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. These platforms innovate relentlessly, with new changes daily. We monitor these and here alert you to the changes that really matter so you can assess the relevance of these to you.

EU-US Privacy Shield – Data watchdog rejects privacy deal

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An update on the announcement of the new 'Privacy Shield' which means that transatlantic data transfers will continue

Google Remove Sidebar Ads Worldwide [@smartinsights Alert]

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Adwords bidding landscape has changed as Google confirm the right sidebar on desktop SERP is to be removed.

Apple News opens to all publishers, in bid to compete with Instant articles and Google’s AMP

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Apple news makes like Google AMP and Facebook Instant Articles and opens to all anyone.

Google launch new ‘Google Analytics 360 suite’

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Google upgrades Google Analytics Premium into a capable Marketing Data Management and Analysis Platform

Google is about to completely re-design AdWords [@SmartInsghts Alert]

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After 15 years of tweaking and adding to the platform , Google is finally going to give AdWords a total overhaul.

Sharing your questions and comments

We're keen to help by answering your questions, so anything that's bugging you do ask via our Answers forum or your preferred social network. Here's the pick of the Q&A for this month - do get involved and share your expertise too!

What are the best digital strategies for a niche business

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Henry asks: Is there a different approach of digital marketing for niche business? do we invest differently? where?

IDM Diploma or Certificate?

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Chris asks: Just wondering what peoples general view are on Digital Marketing Courses, and what one you think might be most relevant to me.

Our latest analysis and recommendations for Premium members

To keep Smart Insights members at the cutting-edge of digital we update our content each week as new resources or updates to existing guides, templates or training modules.

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Do you know SOSTAC(R)? If not, it's worth getting to know - marketers tell us that it's a great way to structure different types of marketing and business plan. We have an update to our guide by PR Smith - the originator. You can find it below, or in the members Digital Strategy Toolkit where there is also an example digital plan. Also updated this month are all of our Not-for-Profit resources covering web, email and social media comms policies for charities.