🗞️ Headlines for 2023.01.23
The Google Graveyard Grows Again
Optimize will be sunset on September 30. A/B testing and other experiments will be moved (unsurprisingly) to Google Analytics 4. Presumably the feature will even be live and relatively stable by then.
More Wallets, More Problems?
The group behind Zelle is planning a digital wallet that isn’t Zelle to compete with the likes of PayPal and Apple. And also for better security since no card numbers need to be typed in.
Chalk another one up for The Splinter.
A big part of online retail is reducing friction to increase purchases. But keeping just enough friction to leave a sense of control or shift the question from “do I purchase?” to something else (like “how many do I purchase?). Soon retailers may have to create the most frictionless experiences possible to make up for the existential dilemma of the payment selection screen.
Instagram Turns Back the Clock
Is this the start of The Great Un-TikTok-ening?
Probably not, but Instaglam pulled the plug on its TikTok overhaul. And Head of Da Gram, Adam Mosseri, admitted they went a bit too cuckoo for video puffs.
The new goal is an even mix of video and photo and let and further video-fication of the platform be driven by user engagement.
YouTube Violation Clarity
YouTube is working on updates to make it easier for uploaders to figure out what part of their video caused violations.
I’m primarily noting this because playing “find the violation” or “decode this ad policy” is very annoying on the large digital ad platforms. Like Meta, who won’t even tell you what account the email is in reference to.
Counting In-Game Eyeballs
It may soon be possible to measure ad viewability in games (and other virtual experiences (trying not to say metaverse)).
This could be the shark that gets jumped as it would start to hint at awareness and reach numbers.
The big question: what counts as viewable?
Current IAB video impression standards are:
50% of the ad’s pixels are visible in the browser window for a continuous 1 second.
Just The Headlines
- More ads in more places: WeWork
- TikTok Must Follow Coming EU Rules or Face Ban, Official Says
- Meta: Updating ad measurement terminology to align with Accounts Center (more name changing as product update)
- U.S. ‘No Fly List’ Leaks After Being Left in an Unsecured Airline Server
- Dollar Stores Are the ‘Fastest-Growing’ Food Retailers In US, Study Finds
- Consumers begin to balk at price increases: P&G reports sales volume decline (prices up 10% = sales volume down 6%)
- Shopify App Developer Takes on Coupon Leaks
An Inside Peek
From Inside.com: How do you balance creativity with data-driven decision-making?
Data wins for direct response outreach. Creativity wins for brand outreach. Period.
-Daniel James Scott