Industry Focus for Friday, July 1, 2022
Launch the fireworks! We’re celebrating the latest marketing trends. It’s what we do.
Every week, twice a week, our team of lifelong learners gets together to discuss what’s happening in digital marketing and adjacent industries so that we’re prepared for whatever happens next. And this week, boy, did we get some surprises.
Keep reading for our insights into GA4 reporting, social media videos, the metaverse, and more. We hope you’re sitting down.
“Google Analytics 4: A Guide to the Traffic Acquisition Report,” by Krista Seiden in Search Engine Land
Google Analytics 4 is launching soon, and marketers will need to learn how to pull the reports they need to access metrics that influence their decisions and strategy. Two that you’ll likely need often are the Traffic Acquisition Report and the User Acquisition Report, a duo new to GA4. This article outlines how to pull them and how to use them on the new platform. And as expert interpreters of this type of data, iFocus Marketing can help you figure out what to do with your digital strategy based on your goals.
-Submitted by Meagan Sanchez, Account Coordinator
“FCC Tells Google, Apple to Remove TikTok,” by Nicole Farley in Search Engine Land
Last week, we talked a lot about TikTok, with a brief mention of the hot water the app is in because of its parent company, ByteDance, and how they host data. This week, the FCC asked both Apple and Google app stores to remove TikTok because of its “pattern of surreptitious data practices.” TikTok seems safe for now – which is a relief considering the growth of the app and the amount of time marketers have put into their presence. What happens next is anyone’s guess.
-Submitted by Brandon Tietz, Senior Digital Copywriter
“Instagram Shares New Tips on How to Maximize Your Reels Content Approach,” by Andrew Hutchinson in Social Media Today
Reels makes up more than 20 percent of the time users spend on Instagram, and all videos posted on the app can be displayed in the video feed. To help your Reels succeed, Instagram offers a lot of tips, such as be authentic, use creative transitions, and stick to trending sounds. For our clients on social media, we recommend finding creative ways to use Reels for their products and services – it’s worth the effort!
-Submitted by Marilee Rodgers, Social Media Manager
“Virtual Environment Optimization (VEO) Is Coming. Ready For It?” by Taylor Kurtz in Search Engine Land
VEO, short for virtual environment optimization – a recently-coined term – works in a virtual environment to best position products and services in an alternate reality. Marketers have been working on search engine optimization (SEO) for years, but with a shift to virtual reality, we’ll need to think about how your business could be presented in the metaverse. Even today, statistics show that VR adoption in e-commerce can increase conversions by 17 percent. Stay tuned for future developments.
-Submitted by Peter Mishler, Senior Digital Copywriter
“What Are Identical Keywords and Why They Matter for Google Ads,” by Greg Finn in Search Engine Land
Google Ads have clarified what identical keywords are – those with the exact same spelling – and explained their newest campaign type, Performance Max (PMax), which doesn’t use keyword data at all. The current campaign type “Smart Shopping” is the closest in existence to it – but it will end in July. PMax requires inputting a website or pages into the campaign, and Google will choose the keywords for Search and placements on Gmail, YouTube, and more.
-Submitted by Brandon Davis, Director of Paid Media
Digital Marketing Is In Season – And It Stays Fresh All Year Long
If you’re limiting your marketing budget to stodgy, expensive traditional tactics, then you might as well be stuffing your cash into Fourth of July pyrotechnics. In one POOF!, it’s gone, with few metrics to show for your efforts.
But modern digital marketing is different. Think of it as the fireworks that keep on exploding – and handing you data-rich reporting so you can see how every penny was spent and how many conversions, leads, or website visitors you got for it.
When you partner with the team at iFocus, that’s what you get: dynamic marketing efforts, made just for your business, and the insights to continually optimize and improve your campaigns. Want in? All you have to do is request a discovery call.
