2017 has only been here for a couple of months, yet it has already brought with it a raft of changes, especially when it comes to digital. Here, online marketing agency Mediaworks shares their run-down of this year's essential developments - so far!
As digital marketers, change is second nature. Whether it’s Google’s algorithm updates or new tools and techniques shaping the way we work, digital is fast-paced – fail to keep up and you risk getting left behind.
2017 has only just begun, yet the world of digital has already shifted. Here are the key developments we’ve identified – how will your digital strategy react to them?
Increased paid search competition
Nearly five years ago, Google’s Product Search transitioned to Google Shopping, giving retailers product advertising space through product listing ads (PLAs). The ads are an alternative to normal text ads, which we have already seen Google slim-down in recent months – a move that heightened competition for premium advertising spots.
Clearly recognising the prestigious space PLAs occupy, marketers have adapted their paid search strategies to gain the coverage they want – and rightly so. During the fourth quarter of 2016, PLAs were responsible for 48% of retailer’s Google ad clicks. But could there be another obstacle to contend with?
Retail giant Amazon is starting to shake PLAs up. In the past, the brand’s paid strategy has relied on other ad forms, but recently Amazon PLAs appeared across home goods and furnishing categories. Given Amazon’s huge buying power, they could drive up the costs of PLAs for you, the marketer.
So how should you react? Essentially, you’ll need to adopt smarter paid search strategies in order to create campaigns that deliver the returns you want in the budgets you have. Don’t leave your success to chance – choose a digital partner you can trust.
Combatting mobile ads
Early in January 2017, Google rolled out the penalties they’d announced back in 2016. The penalties target interstitials, the large pop-up adverts that appear when a web page loads on a mobile device.
From Google’s perspective, pop-up ads that cover a page’s content detract from the overall user experience, as users have to dismiss them before they can get the information they need. Sites that currently feature this type of interstitials will suffer impacted rankings.
Of course, some pop-ups are exempt from these penalties, such as log-in, cookie policies and age verification windows.
In the space of just two months, we’ve witnessed two key updates. If this is a signifier of what the rest of the year will bring, it’s set to be a big year for digital – and by keeping aware of the latest updates you can create proactive digital strategies to keep your brand ahead of the curve.
