Industry Focus for Friday, March 24, 2023
In late February, we reported that our beloved weekly digital marketing trends blog would drop to twice-monthly, and you waited patiently to read the latest news from the industry.
Thank you for sticking around.
But now, I’m here to share that this will actually be the very last Industry Focus blog of its kind.
Just because Industry Focus is over doesn’t mean we’re done with lifelong learning and our obsession with staying up-to-date on all the latest news. We’re still doing that because it’s how we’re hard-wired.
Instead, we decided to focus (no pun intended) on sharing our knowledge in a different way – a way that allows us to expand on marketing advice and guidance for home care technicians, manufacturers, health care companies, automotive businesses, and more. You should definitely keep coming back to read our upcoming blogs each month; we promise it’ll be worthwhile.
But on this Friday, we’re savoring this moment with you. Here are the four hottest topics we discussed – and remember, it’s not “Goodbye.” It’s “Read our other blogs.”
“Google Expands Local Service Ads to More Than 70 New Businesses,” by Nicole Farley in Search Engine Land
Local Services Ads show off your business at the top of the SERPs and capture leads – so it’s great news for the new businesses now eligible for these ads on Google: beauty schools, dental offices, HVAC home services, real estate agents, bankruptcy lawyers, and more! IT’s a game changer because LSAs are an effective way to reach your ideal customers who are already looking for services online.
-Submitted by Alisha Ahern, Strategy Manager
“Learn About the New Listing Requirements for Checkout-Enabled Facebook & Instagram Shops” by Meta Catalog Product Team in the Meta blog
In an effort to improve buyer experiences and encourage repeat visitors, Meta changed the minimum amount of information required about products in Shops enabled with checkout. Some of these requirements include writing unique item descriptions that are not the same as the title; uploading images that are at least 500-by-500 pixels; and including the size of the items in specific product categories. If you’re selling products on social media, you’ll want to click the link below to get all the details.
-Submitted by Kristina Spooner, Vice President of Business Development
“Google Brings AI-Powered Features to Docs & Gmail,” by Matt G. Southern in Search Engine Journal
Google is committed to bringing AI to everyone, and they’re starting with adding AI features to Google Cloud and MakerSuite. AI email drafts, web dev prototyping, and security are all available. Although we aren’t afraid that AI will one day take our jobs, we are looking forward to learning how to use it to optimize digital marketing results – when the time is right.
-Submitted by Jaron Thompson, Senior Operations Manager
“Google Trends: See What’s Trending Across Google Search, Google News and YouTube,” in Google News Initiative
Much like a crystal ball, Google Trends shows you popular topics in real time. The Google Trends homepage features clustered, related topics trending together on Search, YouTube, or Google News, with Featured Insights highlighting data patterns.You can even use the tool to explore other topics to find out how much of a following they have. We predict this will be a meaningful tool for small business owners and digital marketers alike.
-Submitted by Kylie Ledford, Account Operations Coordinator
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If Local Services Ads, AI-powered trending tools, and social media regulations seem overwhelming, then it’s time to work with a digital marketing agency that can help you navigate the most budget-friendly, optimizable tactics to build your business.
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Jenifer Calandra is an award-winning digital copywriter and copy team lead at iFocus Marketing with 12 years of marketing experience. She curates copy from conception to completion, capturing client voices, and building their authority in their industry. Her knack for storytelling is deeply rooted in journalism, and you’ll find her work published in various regional newspapers and magazines. At home, dogs and a never-ending cascade of home-improvement projects rule her life.
