Click Through Reads #43: GSC Updates and TikTok Video Editor

Hello Click-Through-Readers! This week we dig into two improvements to the Google Search Console, breaking down each of the new updates. We then will review the new Pinterest code of conduct, new moderation tools and first creator fund. TikTok announced that they will be making a permanent transition to personalized ads, and cover when and what that means for marketers. We also look at the new TikTok Video Editor. There are three Facebook stories this week including new Dynamic Ads for streaming, the sunsetting of Facebook Analytics, and a new Sticker Ads test. Finally, for those running Microsoft Ads, we break down the enhancements to the UET Tag Helper and a new Adds Countdown functionality for RSAs.

Search Console Rolls Out Improved Data Filtering Functionality

Last week, Google announced 2 improvements that enable marketers to more easily filter data and compare data right in Search Console

Regular Expressions (aka RegEx) has long been available in Google Analytics, and has finally made its way to Search Console. The system’s support of RegEx allows marketers to create more complex filters to easily look at data. 

Previously, comparison views only supported comparison metrics for up to 1 metrics. Now, comparison mode allows advertisers to see comparison data for more than 1 metric at a time. 

Revamped Comparison Mode

Comparison mode in Google Search Console is used to assist with comparison based analysis; yet, if more than one metric was selected, the table wouldn’t provide a comparison column with differential percentages. 

The new improvement allows for more than one metric to be supported in comparison mode, increasing the size and visibility of the data table. Now, results can be viewed side-by-side, making it easier for users to observe and assess results. The improvement also supports the new regex filter. 

Regex Filter

Search Console used to only filter queries and page URLs for three items: containing a string, not containing a string, and exactly matching a string. Now, with regex added to it’s filters, more complex query and page-based filters can be utilized.

Google explains how regex works to capture more query data:

“[L]et’s say your company is called ‘cats and dogs’ but is sometimes also abbreviated as ‘cats & dogs’ or even ‘c&d’. You can use a regex filter to capture all of your branded queries by defining the regex filter: cats and dogs|cats & dogs|c&d.”

To use the new regex filter, start by creating a query or page filter, then select the dropdown menu and select Custom. The Search Console’s performance report help page notes the following about using regex filters: Search Console defaults to partial matching; reports default to case-sensitive matching; invalid regular expression syntax will return no matches.

For assistance with the update, you can use Google’s live testing tool, which can be found here.

Pinterest has a new code of conduct all users have to follow, new moderation tools, first creator fund

Pinterest is getting ready to implement the creator code, which will contain policies to follow when creating content for Pinterest. The code is meant to encourage more positive content and all users will have to agree to it prior to posting story pins. The code also encourages fact checking and safety, promotes inclusion and kindness and prompts users to be aware of possible sensitive content triggers. 

Pinterest is also introducing new moderation tools to keep comment sections friendlier. These tools will allow users to feature/pin comments, comment removal, keyword filtering and spam prevention.

Lastly, Pinterest is launching its own creator fund which will start in the US only. It sounds like they will be hoping to spotlight and support creators from underrepresented communities and offer training, creative consulting and ultimately financial support.

Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/pinterest-has-a-new-code-of-conduct-all-users-have-to-follow/401951/#close

TikTok Shifts to Personalized Ads

Last month, TikTok announced they will be making a permanent transition to personalized ads, a setting that is currently optional for users. Starting April 15, users will no longer have the ability to opt out of personalized ads, and ads within TikTok will now be served based on the user’s profile of “interests” that is created from their activity within the app similarly to other social platforms like Facebook and Snapchat. Users will have the ability to manually delete these interests within TikTok’s settings to have a little more control over what types of ads they see. They will also have the option to opt out of ads that use data from third-party, advertising partners, with the exception of users based in the EU. 

The timing of the decision and rollout seems to coincide with Apple’s upcoming iOS 14 update which has prompted many platforms to refine their targeting and ad personalization abilities. 

Facebook Analytics is Going Away

Facebook Analytics is a holistic marketing tool intended to provide broader insights, similar to Google Analytics. It will no longer be available after June 30, 2021. It wasn’t widely used, but users will have access until then to export any data that might be helpful.

Facebook Introduces Dynamic Ads for Streaming

On April 5, 2021, Facebook announced the launch of Dynamic Ads for Streaming. Before this launched out, the only way an advertiser would need to promote each media tile would be doing so separately.

Facebook states that, “when people see an ad for your service in their feed, they can swipe through the ad to see personalized, relevant titles they might be interested in, based on interests they’ve shown on Facebook and Instagram. Audiences can also follow your call to action to start a trial or subscribe.”

Microsoft Rolls Out Enhancements to UET Tag Helper + Adds Countdown Functionality for RSAs

This month, Microsoft unveiled 2 new enhancements to its Bing advertising suite:

1. Universal Event Tracking Tag Helper Enhancement - Microsoft added the ability to test dynamic remarketing list functionality through the tag helper tool.
2. Ad Customizers for RSAs - Advertisers are now able to utilize countdown customizers in RSAs. This function can be used to display day, hour and minute countdowns dynamically in responsive search ads.

Facebook Tests Sticker Ads for Stories

Facebook announced last month that they will be introducing more ads that integrate into content, giving creators more control and opportunity to monetize content. With the success of Stories, Facebook is now proposing ads that look like stickers that can be added into Stories. The test is still in its early stages, but eventually will be rolled out to a limited number of creators and advertising partners. Additionally, Facebook changed the requirements for in-stream ads to make them more accessible. Previously, in-stream ads only applied to videos three-minutes or longer, but now one-minute long videos are eligible with ads being placed 30 seconds into the video, and 45 seconds in for videos longer than three minutes. However eligibility for in-stream ads is still contingent on the total minutes viewed (600,000 total minutes for pages or 60,000 total minutes for live videos) in the last 60 days. 

New TikTok Video Editor

This week TikTok introduced their Video Editor - which is an online smart video editing tool that allows advertisers to create native video ads in your browser. This tool helps brands create impactful, branded videos in a quick and simple manner and includes easy-to-use TikTok-style editing feature to help videos feel native to the platform. Some elements include adding music, adding text with changing fonts and colors, cropping tools, and cutting tools to customize content exactly how you want it.

This tool can be found in TikTok’s Ads Manager under the “Create a Video” menu at the top. From there, you can create your video in 4 simple steps:

1. Select Your Assets -look through existing assets in the asset library or upload new.
2. Add Music - upload your own soundtrack or choose from TikTok’s library of copyrighted music.
3. Add Text - choose from a variety of font styles and colors.
4. Post Production - customize your video.
1. Transitions
2. Effets
3. Object Eraser
4. Split Audio Track
5. Multi-Layer Edit
6. Crop to Size

This is an exciting free and simple tool to help advertisers to create their own videos in a quick and easy way without allocating the hours and dollars that usually go into video production.