Bonded Bitesize – Your Midweek Roundup

Meta has launched a new mini-site with data-backed tips to help you grow your presence on Threads and connect more effectively with your audience. To drive engagement and attract followers, Meta suggests posting 2-5 times weekly—especially on weekends—and mixing up your formats with video, carousels, and light-hearted, relatable topics like TV, fashion, and travel, as these tend to perform best.

The site also reveals that engagement is key: replies make up nearly half of all views, so joining relevant conversations and creating posts that spark discussion is essential. To make your content even more engaging, share opinions or personal stories with follow-up questions. Adding topic tags is another way to expand your reach, connecting with users interested in similar topics through keyword searches or tag taps.

Check out the Threads mini site here for even more tips and tricks.

Google has announced that it is enhancing its Travel Ads by enabling all hotel advertisers to showcase dynamic feed data, including real-time prices, dates, ratings, and images. This update aims to provide travellers with the most relevant and up-to-date information while they explore destinations and plan their trips. Advertisers who link their Google Ads with Hotel Center can automatically integrate this rich data into their campaigns, leading to increased engagement. 

Testing has shown that this format can boost click-through rates by up to 20%, making it a valuable tool for driving interest in travel promotions. Additionally, Google is exploring expanding these dynamic features to other travel verticals, such as attractions, car rentals, and events, making it easier for advertisers to connect with potential customers. Setting up Travel Feeds is straightforward, and Google Ads offers flexibility with opt-out options for advertisers.

LinkedIn and Pinterest are under fire for alleged GDPR violations related to their ad tracking practices. According to an article by The Drum, LinkedIn has been fined €310 million ($336 million) by the Irish Data Protection Commission for inadequate user notification and processing personal data without legal justification. Pinterest faces accusations from privacy rights group Noyb for tracking users without explicit consent, violating GDPR requirements. 

These cases highlight the ongoing challenges tech companies face in complying with privacy regulations. Experts argue that while fines are significant, meaningful operational changes are crucial for lasting compliance. Advertisers must, therefore, adapt to a landscape prioritising user privacy, emphasising transparent data practices to build consumer trust and avoid penalties.

Instagram is now adjusting video quality based on video popularity, according to head Adam Mosseri. In a recent update, Mosseri explained that highly engaged videos are shown in higher quality, while less-viewed videos may automatically downgrade to lower quality over time. He clarified that this adjustment happens on an “aggregate level,” affecting videos generally rather than for specific viewers. 

Some users raised concerns that this favours popular creators, who can retain the highest quality encoding, potentially widening the gap between large and small creators. While Mosseri acknowledged the issue, he said quality differences are minor, and that content itself drives user engagement more than video quality.

Google has introduced new documentation on Google Trends for search marketing, offering a beginner-friendly guide that also serves as a refresher for experienced marketers. The guide covers six main sections: an overview of Google Trends, a tutorial on monitoring trends, methods for keyword research, prioritising content with Trends data, competitor research, and analysing brand awareness.

A key tip in the content calendar section highlights how to use seasonal trends to publish content at optimal times. Additionally, users can utilise the Explore tool to track worldwide or country-specific trends and filter by time, categories, or search type, enabling marketers to refine content strategy effectively.

Curious about optimising your own SEO strategy? Get in touch with one of our SEO specialists today.

With Black Friday fast approaching, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) reminds brands to maintain transparency in their promotions. To avoid misleading ads, the ASA advises that savings claims, like “70% off,” should be verifiable and accurate. Terms like “up to” or “everything” must reflect significant discounts across items. Additionally, promotions should end as scheduled, and availability should align with consumer demand to prevent disappointing shoppers. 

By following these guidelines, brands can build trust and create a successful Black Friday campaign. For additional guidance, the ASA’s CAP Copy Advice team offers free advice on non-broadcast ads.

LinkedIn has unveiled new research on the impact of Connected TV (CTV) ads for reaching professionals and decision-makers, showing CTV’s significant potential for B2B marketing. Conducted with Magna Media Trials, the study reveals high engagement and ad receptiveness among LinkedIn users who watch CTV, particularly those in management roles.

As CTV ad usage rises, LinkedIn’s report provides valuable insights on maximising CTV campaigns through targeted messaging, interactive formats, and prime engagement times. This data reinforces CTV as a strategic tool for brands aiming to enhance reach and influence among key professional audiences.

Check out LinkedIn’s full report here. 

Snapchat’s latest EMEA study reveals its users are highly engaged social shoppers who actively drive discovery and purchases. Findings show that 87% of Snapchatters enjoy shopping, with 71% considering it a primary hobby—a significantly higher rate than on other social channels. Peer recommendations are crucial, as 84% of Snapchatters trust brands more when endorsed by friends or family.

Additionally, Snapchat users spend more across categories like apparel (+63%), beauty (+84%), and household products (+172%), underscoring their potential as valuable customers. Discovery is also central, with 84% of users finding new products through social channels.

Thinking about adding Snapchat to your social strategy? Chat with our social team today.

Google’s AI Overviews in Search, initially launched in the U.S., is now available in over 100 countries, reaching an estimated 1 billion users monthly. The feature supports six languages, including English, Hindi, and Spanish, allowing users globally to access AI-generated search summaries in their preferred language. 

Google has also updated the interface to improve website visibility, adding desktop links, mobile-optimised icons, and in-line links within summaries. This global expansion represents Google’s largest deployment of AI in Search to date, enhancing accessibility and user engagement across multiple regions.

X has revamped its ad platform with new AI-driven features designed to make it easier for small and medium businesses (SMBs) to reach the right audience and optimise ad performance. Key updates include AI Targeting, which refines audience reach based on user activity within the app, making ad targeting more efficient without the need for manual demographic selection. SMBs can now set a target ROI through bid optimisation, while an automatic tracking pixel allows for easy performance tracking. The platform also includes one-click DM support for real-time customer engagement.

This streamlined setup helps SMBs launch campaigns quickly with minimal manual effort, aiming for increased profitability and enhanced ad impact. With full rollout expected soon, X’s ad updates could be a compelling addition to holiday campaign plans.