How to create video ads that sell? Does internal linking really boost traffic? Google, Facebook, and Snapchat launched some new features and much more from the world of digital marketing in our new episode of the RGray Weekly Marketing Insights and News Digest.
– The new feature, that provides statistics and insights was launched by Google. The new feature is not a big deal for SEO but it will be beneficial. Read more in our digest.
– Snapchat was looking for a way to implement sharing different kinds of stories outside the app for premium Discover content. Check out whether they managed or not in the article below.
– This week, the SEO split-testing was held with the purpose to increase internal linking. Take a look at the results of the case study in our article.
– Facebook introduced a new feature, Paid Online Events, that is already available and helps to organize and promote online events for free. More information in our digest.
– If you have ever thought about improving your content, check out the infographics below with 5 useful tips on how you can make the most attractive ads.
1. Got insights?
Google launched a new feature, titled ‘Insights’, that will be coming to Google Search Console. For now, the feature is in a closed test, but we managed to find out what you can expect when it’s going public.
Even though it might be nothing mind-blowing, it can still help you to know about the latest and top-performing backlinks to your website, as well as give you access to the insights, like page views, average visit duration, trending analytics. Also, it was reported that more information regarding the top and trending queries will be given.
This feature might not be the big deal for SEO, but it will be beneficial, and will remove the need for certain extra tools and trackers, based on how they function!
2. Snapchat Looks to Expand Off-Platform Sharing Options to Expand Audience Reach
Snapchat is exploring a new feature, that will allow the users to share its premium content offerings outside the app, such as exclusive shows and videos from Discover partners, and hopefully, attract a broader audience.
By the way, in 2018, Snapchat has already launched an option to share different kinds of stories outside the app by inserts or link shares.
However, now, Snapchat is focused on the way to provide the same feature to its premium Discover content.
This implementation will enable the opportunity to share “Snap Originals,” “Shows” and “Publisher Stories” with friends outside the platform by using links.
Similar to other apps, while checking out these links, the users would be taken back to the Snapchat app or a web or mobile viewing version.
This is how the Snap video links are shown on the desktop.
Even though the vertical format is not the best one for watching, it is expected that the mentioned above changes will still raise the app’s popularity.
Snapchat is aiming to become more business-focused, and making the app more welcoming, and by providing those changes to its premium content, it may lead to considerable implications, which will raise the popularity of its premium Discover content.
In the mid-fall last year, it was reported that overall daily time spent on watching its Discover content had gone up by 40% YoY, while during the COVID-19 pandemic, the percentage has increased even further.
All in all, these changes may help Snapchat to reach a higher audience that can potentially become regular users of the platform. But what may an approach in this way mean for the future expansion of the platform?
Must-have elements for your Go To Market strategy for the US market
Free GTM ebook3. Does internal linking really boost traffic?
Let’s get the obvious answer out of the way: there isn’t always a clear answer. However, this case study by Emily Potter at SearchPilot might surprise you – but not for the reasons you might be thinking.
The purpose of the case study was this: what happens to the organic traffic of higher-level category pages when an internal linking test is run on a website where we added links to some lower-level category pages.
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Read the case study.
The test was run for Iceland Groceries, an online grocery store. The site architecture has three-level categories:
- “Frozen” category (level 1).
- “Frozen Fish & Seafood” (level 2).
- “Frozen Fish Fillets & Steaks” (level 3).
Before the test, the only way to move between these levels was through the main navigation.
What did the test consist of?
The additional linking between level 2 and level 3 categories were added, by including buttons with links to level 3 category pages at the top of the level 2 category pages.
Hypothesis: The initial thought was that the increase in traffic to level 3 category pages will be seen as well as the bump in traffic to level 2 category pages would be caused due to improved relevancy signals.
The results? This turned out to be one of our most positive tests to date resulting in a 25% spike in organic traffic across level 2 and level 3 category pages.
However, the most shocking results were when the data for the single category was analyzed. Level 2 pages had estimated uplifts in the 20%+ range in visitors, which means the increased internal linking also benefited the pages being linked from.
All in all, this case study illustrates that creating a positive overall customer experience would help the platform as a whole.
4. Facebook’s new feature, Paid Online Events, lets you run paid online events
The name of the feature explains itself; it’s a new, very easy and convenient way for small businesses to earn some money. It is already available and it helps to organize and promote an online event, set a price, collect a payment, and host the event, all in one place and for free.
What is more, you’ll get to keep 100% of the revenue – except on IOS. Apple refused to cancel the 30% commission on the revenue.
The new feature seems like a perfect option for the marketers because, in addition to all the mentioned above features, you can also create a custom audience from event attendees.
Cross-platform communication is on the way
This Friday, Facebook introduced another important step to ease communication between Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. Some users even received a notification, named ‘There’s a New Way to Message on Instagram’, which brings a bunch of new features and replaces the DM logo with the Messenger icon.
Right now, there is no direct messaging between Instagram and Messenger, but when such a form of communication arrives, chat marketing is expected to become even more important for marketers.
5. Five tips for creating video ads that sell
Nowadays, the media is full of thousands of ads coming every second. But, due to the gigantic competition, the vast majority of those videos are not even open.
Fortunately, Edvinas Maciulevicius, an ad agency founder, shared a guide in the Ecom Empires Facebook group on how to make your video ads more notable and distinguishable.
Here come 5 tips on how you can make the most attractive video ads:
These were some small, but extremely important tips when operating social media advertisements.
Now get out and sell stuff!