Digital Marketing Monthly: July 2021

A lot happened in digital marketing in July, including new personalisation options in Adobe Experience Cloud and Multimedia Ads are now available in Microsoft. Video extensions and expanded verticals for dynamic remarketing have also been added to Microsoft Advertising. Targeting options for young people have been slashed across Facebook and they’ve updated policies around prescription drug ads. Twitter has launched a pilot Shop Module and said goodbye to Fleets.

ICYMI, here’s what happened in digital marketing last month.

• Adobe Announces New Personalisation Capabilities in Experience Cloud
• Bulletin Monetises Audiences on Facebook
• Pinterest Bans All Weight Loss Ads
• Instagram Adds Black-Owned Label Option to Business Profiles
• Instagram On Track to Become More Like TikTok
• Microsoft Launches Multimedia Ads
• Expanded Verticals for Dynamic Remarketing Beta Plus Additions to Microsoft RSAs
• Microsoft Advertising Adds Video Extensions
• Facebook Pay Available on Third-Party Sites
• Twitter Says Goodbye to Fleets
• Yelp Launches Yelp Audiences
• Facebook Updates Policies for Prescription Drug Ads
• New Ways to Earn for Pinterest Creators
• Targetting Options for Young People Slashed Across Facebook
• Pilot Shop Module Launched on Twitter

Adobe Announces New Personalisation Capabilities in Experience Cloud

Adobe has announced new personalisation capabilities in Adobe Experience Cloud to help retailers prepare for peak sales periods. Adobe Experience Platform Segment Match, now in beta, enables brands to collaborate to expand their first-party data sets through partnerships. Adobe Experience Platform also features additional insights, and AI-powered live search for Adobe Commerce gives shoppers search-as-you-type results.

Bulletin Monetises Audiences on Facebook

Facebook has announced Bulletin, a new service for writers to help them engage with, grow and monetise their audience with 100% of subscription revenue going to creators. Bulletin is a standalone website on Bulletin.com. The service is currently only available to a select group of writers in the US.

Pinterest Bans All Weight Loss Ads

Pinterest has updated its policies, prohibiting all ads related to weight loss imagery and language.

“As our community of Pinners grows, so do searches for topics like healthy eating, healthy lifestyle and fitness tips. We’ll continue providing useful and relevant content for those searching for it while prohibiting content that displays, rationalizes or encourages eating disorders and other types of self-injury. For example, whenever Pinners search for keywords related to eating disorders, we block search results and direct them to expert organizations, like NEDA, so they can find additional resources. Pinterest also offers a variety of emotional well-being activities developed by emotional health experts, accessible directly within our mobile app and website. Pinners can simply search for “#pinterestwellbeing” to explore gratitude and self-compassion exercises, along with other interactive practices that can help improve their mood.“

Instagram Adds Black-Owned Label Option to Business Profiles

Instagram has added a new black-owned label option to business profiles. When added, opportunities for discoverability can improve with Instagram using the label to add and highlight Black-owned business profiles in the Shop tab and curated product collections.

Instagram On Track to Become More Like TikTok

Facebook is testing changes to Instagram to make it more like TikTok. Instagram will now show recommended videos from accounts users do not follow.

“We’re no longer a photo-sharing app or a square photo-sharing app.” said Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram.

“People are looking to Instagram to be entertained. There’s stiff competition, and there’s more to do. We have to embrace that, and that means change.”

Changes are coming to video on Instagram ?

At Instagram we’re always trying to build new features that help you get the most out of your experience. Right now we’re focused on four key areas: Creators, Video, Shopping and Messaging. pic.twitter.com/ezFp4hfDpf

— Adam Mosseri ? (@mosseri) June 30, 2021

Microsoft Launches Multimedia Ads

Microsoft Advertising has launched multimedia ads in beta, the image-rich visual ads will be featured on the right rail or in the mainline at the top of search results.

“To help your Multimedia Ad stand out even more and provide exclusivity, there will only be one Multimedia Ad on a page, for only one advertiser at a time.”

The beta program is now rolling out globally.

Expanded Verticals for Dynamic Remarketing Beta Plus Additions to Microsoft RSAs

Microsoft Advertising has announced that the beta for dynamic remarketing will now be expanded beyond Retail, and will now cover Automotive (listings), Entertainment (events), and Travel (Tours and Activities).

Microsoft has also revealed countdown customizers in RSAs, meaning you will be able to “dynamically insert countdowns into your RSAs to key moments for your business; like sales or online events.”

They have also added local insertions so you can add locations to your RSAs. Among other announcements, Microsoft also unveiled an updated UI and changes to automated bidding with Maximize Conversions, Maximize Clicks, Target CPA and Target ROAS rolling out to the Microsoft Audience Network.

Microsoft Advertising Adds Video Extensions

Microsoft Advertising has announced a new addition to its ad extensions: Video Extensions. Video Extensions is available to all advertisers globally and gives you the flexibility to combine video with other ad extensions. Advertisers can set up an action link on the video overlay which takes users to your website or page of choice.

Facebook Pay Available on Third-Party Sites

Facebook Pay will be available as a check-out option on third-party websites in the US starting in August. Facebook is starting the rollout with Shopify merchants and expects to expand availability with more platforms and service providers over time.

This should give Facebook additional transaction data, potentially helping it better attribute ad response, despite losing user activity insights due to the ATT data tracking update.

Twitter Says Goodbye to Fleets

Twitter is saying goodbye, so long… to Fleets.

“We hoped Fleets would help more people feel comfortable joining the conversation on Twitter. But, in the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped.”

Fleets will no longer be available on Twitter as of August 3.

Yelp Launches Yelp Audiences

Yelp is launching Yelp Audiences so you can target Yelp users off the platform. Targeting is based on the user’s purchase intent on Yelp and is the platforms first offering that enables both location-based and non-location-based advertisers to reach Yelp users online, based on their search activity across Yelp, “This includes search, delivery and takeout actions, search filters, and category interest,” Tom Foran, Yelp’s SVP and head of GTM, national, told Search Engine Land. The ads do not have to lead back to Yelp.

Facebook Updates Policies for Prescription Drug Ads

Facebook has announced an update to its policies around the promotion of prescription drugs and the qualifications required for brands to run ads.

“We have long required online pharmacies to go through a certification process before running ads on Facebook. Now we’re introducing additional pre-approval requirements for telehealth providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and online pharmacies who are looking to promote prescription drugs on our platforms.”

As of August 25th, telehealth providers and online pharmacies will be required to show written certification from third-party Legitscipt. Pharmaceutical manufacturers will also need to receive pre-approval from Facebook prior to running campaigns. Advertisers will only be able to promote these products in the  US, Canada and New Zealand.

New Ways to Earn for Pinterest Creators

Pinterest is introducing new ways for creators to earn on the platform through shoppable Idea Pins, affiliate links and sponsored content.

With Idea Pin product tagging, Creators can tag their Idea Pins with any of the millions of Product Pins on Pinterest. This means Pinners can now shop right from their favourite Creator’s Idea Pins. There’s also a new “paid partnerships” label for Idea Pins for sponsored content.

Targetting Options for Young People Slashed Across Facebook

Starting next month, Facebook will only allow advertisers to target ads to people under the age of 18 (or older in certain countries) based on their age, gender and location.

Previously available targeting options, such as those based on interests or activity on apps and websites will no longer be available. These changes are global and will apply across Instagram, Facebook and Messenger.

Pilot Shop Module Launched on Twitter

Twitter is launching a pilot of the Shop Module, a dedicated space at the top of profiles where businesses can showcase their products.

“When people visit a profile with the Shop Module enabled, they can scroll through the carousel of products and tap through on a single product to learn more and purchase — seamlessly in an in-app browser, without having to leave Twitter.”

The feature will first be available to a handful of profiles in the US.

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