Bonded Bitesize – Your Midweek Roundup
Bonded Bitesize – Your Midweek Roundup
Bonded Bitesize – Bringing you your midweek roundup of the latest in digital and media.
Stay connected with recent updates from Microsoft, Google, Meta & many more!
Meta publishes study on effectiveness of Meta ad campaigns, finding +30% return on ad spend than tv ads
Meta has partnered with Nielson to publish a study on the short and long-term effectiveness of Meta ad campaigns focusing specifically on video formats such as Reels. The study followed 12 CPG brands in the APAC region over three years to determine the role that Meta ads had in helping them grow and maximise ad spend. According to the findings, Meta ads generated a 30% greater return on ad spend than TV ad campaigns, and video ads specifically delivered the highest return spend. The data also found that videos shorter than 15 seconds performed best for promotions.
Read the full report here.
TikTok launches its 2023 Holiday marketing playbook to help marketers plan ahead for their Christmas campaigns
Despite having just turned June, TikTok has released its 2023 Holiday Marketing Playbook to help brands prepare for their Christmas campaigns. The guide includes a range of helpful insights and tips on how to best reach TikTok users at different stages in the lead up to the holidays. The guide even includes calendar overlays that detail when to enact each type of campaign, and top hashtags and trends to hop on.
Read the full playbook here.
Instagram publishes overview of how its ranking algorithms work for Feed, Reels and Stories
Instagram’s chief, Adam Mosseri, has published an overview of how Instagrams ranking algorithms work, helping brands and creators understand how to better maximise the reach of their content. Mosseri explains that Instagram does not have a single algorithm, but that each part of the app - such as Feed, Stories, Explore, Reels and Search, all have their own algorithm tailored to how people use them.
Pinterest’s new programming for Pride month includes exclusive ‘Pride and Progress’ content series featuring Drag Race Winner, livestreams and shopping spotlight
To celebrate Pride month, Pinterest has announced a new ‘Pride and Progress’ content series with creators and brands across the world, including RuPaul’s Drag Race Winner Sasha Colby. Pinterest is also partnering with tastemade on a range of videos that will highlights LGBTQ+ creators, business and artists. According to the platform, user interest in gender expression and queer fashion is on the rise, with searches for terms like ‘understanding gender’ up 550% and ‘non-binary outfits’ up 355%.
Google’s AI chatbot, Bard, can now use a devices precise location to show more relevant, local results
As part of its experimental features, Google has announced that its AI chatbot, Bard, can now use a device’s precise location to deliver more relevant local results. Bard prompts users to give access to precise location sharing, though ensuring that they can change their settings at any time. This update could help drive additional traffic to local businesses for those with Google business profiles.
Snapchat launches new AR Learning Hub to teach fundamentals of AR creation and how to use them in Lens Studio
Snapchat has launched a new Snap AR Learning Hub that provides a way to learn the fundamentals of AR creation, and how to apply them within Snapchat’s Lens Studio tools. Snapchat states, “The Snap AR Learning Hub is a new way to learn about the augmented reality field and gain the skills for a career in AR. For beginners who want to learn the foundations of creating AR in Lens Studio, we’re offering a new set of courses with more than a dozen free lessons. The Learning Hub also includes tutorials, livestreams and documentation to help intermediate and advanced creators”.
Twitter has withdrawn from EU Disinformation Code, months before EU set to enforce compliance
Twitter has shown that it is standing its ground on its freedom of speech values, by choosing to withdraw from the EU’s voluntary code of practice on online disinformation. The code aims to implement clearer reporting, as well as enforcement obligations for large online platforms (including Twitter) to combat spammers, scammers and the spread of misinformation. This move signals that Twitter may not be willing to adhere to these tougher rules, which could result in the platform facing fines or even suspensions in the EU member states.
Bing Chat now supports increased chat turns, adds visuals to travel queries and has expanded Bing Image Creator
Microsoft Bing has released a number of improvements to Bing Chat, such as increasing support for chat turns. Bing Chat now allows 30 chat turns per conversation, plus 300 total chat turns per day - allowing users to return to previous conversations that may have reached their limit. In addition, Bing Chat is now able to show more visual results within travel queries as well as use Bing Image Creator to generate images within all chat modes.
Google spotted testing triple featured snippets on mobile and desktop
Google has been spotted rolling out several featured snippets on Google Search on both mobile and desktop. A google representative confirmed that this is an improvement to a previous launch, rather than the new ‘Perspectives’ feature unveiled during Google’s I/O developer conference. This new triple features snippet shows three different responses from differing websites horizontally at the top of the results page.
Snapchat’s AI chatbot, My AI, is now able to respond to visual queries alongside text prompts
Snapchat has added a new visual element to its AI chatbot, My AI, that enables it to respond to visual queries as well as text prompts. Snapchat explains, “Snap My AI a picture of your pizza, OOTD, or even your furry friend, and My AI may respond with a Snap back in reaction. So if you Snap My AI your latest grocery haul, it might recommend a recipe”.
Google’s upgraded Search Console Insights provide new details about content growth for properties not linked to Google Analytics
Google has announced that Search Console Insights have been upgraded for properties that are not associated with Google Analytics. The company stated that this upgrade includes new content performance insights such as a new ‘Your Growing Content’ report, showing a site's most popular and trending pieces of content on Search. These features are currently live and available for all sites.
Instagram is testing a new way to give users more control over the recommended content they are shown
Instagram has announced that they are testing a new feature that gives users more control over the content that they are recommended. The new control will join the current personalisation controls, including the ‘Not interested’ option and the ability to snooze recommendations. In addition, Meta is also experimenting with new transparency notifications to help creators understand when the reach of their content may be limited due to watermarks.
LinkedIn publishes new insights on SaaS marketing, to help businesses capitalise on current trends
LinkedIn Ads has partnered with Winning by Design to publish a playbook overviewing emerging software-as-a-service (SaaS) market trends. The guide prompts insights on maximising marketing performance despite the broader market downturn. According to LinkedIn, investments in SaaS services are increasing, expected to grow from $176.2 billion in 2022, to $208 billion by the end of 2023
Read the full playbook here.
Microsoft has brought its art-generation tool, Designer, to Teams - allowing users to create designs through text prompts
Microsoft has announced that it is integrating Designer, its AI-powered art-generation tool, into the free version of Teams. Designer allows users to quickly generate designs for presentations, posters and social assets via text prompts or uploaded images. Leveraging DALL-E 2 technology, Designer is now able to generate captions and animations, with more advanced editing features reportedly on the way.
Google has updated shopping ads, free listings Policy Centre & How Shopping Works documents
In a bid to improve policy enforcement transparency for advertisers and retailers, Google has updated the shopping ads Policy Center and free listing Policy Centre to better explain their policies. The company has also launched a clarification of the YouTube Shopping ads requirement and Discovery product ads format requirements to help retailers better understand why their ads may not be serving. In addition, Google has also updated the Google Help pages for Recommendations & Personlisation, and How Google Shopping Works to better explain their ranking system.
