In this week’s latest digital news, Google rolls out their latest Core Update for 2024. The update targets low-value SEO content, promoting quality websites. It’s full rollout expected within a month. At the same time as the August 2024 Core Update, an unrelated bug has been causing issues with search results. Google has confirmed this bug is unrelated to the Core Update and are working to fix the issue. The bug is affecting a significant amount of search results. But Google aims to fix this within the next 12 hours.
According to a recent report from Forrester, the digital economy is expected to hit $16.5 trillion by 2028. With the rapid growth of online retail and travel services. The digital economy has become a permanent fixture in the lives of many. Marketing Week’s Language of Effectiveness survey, supported by Kantar. Shows that almost half of the 1,200 marketers surveyed are already using AI in certain areas of the marketing function to improve effectiveness.
Table of Contents
Google Rolls Out August 2024 Core Update
Google’s August 2024 Core Update is rolling out as we speak. Targeting low value SEO content and working to promote undervalued, smaller independent publishers with high quality original content. Starting on the 15th August, this update, aimed at responding to community feedback from previous updates, is expected to take up to a month to roll out completely. At the same time as this update, Google have updated their core updates help page with more actionable steps for those who see changes after an update. But on the whole, the bottom line remains the same. Don’t try to make “quick fixes” and remove content in bulk, but aim to improve your website over time to make content more useful in meaningful ways.
Ongoing problem with Google Search rankings impact a significant number of search results
At the same time as the August 2024 Core Update rolling out. An unrelated ranking bug has been causing issues with a significant number of search results. Google confirmed this is not related to the core update and is a different issue they are working to fix. No update has been posted over the weekend. But we’ll be keeping an eye on the Google Search Status Dashboard for any response from Google today. If you’re seeing drops in search results from over the weekend. It’s best not to conclude too early that these are core update related and wait for further news.
The digital economy is poised to grow: Here’s what the numbers say
The digital economy is expected to hit $16.5 trillion by 2028, equating to 17% of global gross domestic product (GDP), according to a recent report from Forrester. With the rapid growth of online retail and travel services. The digital economy has become a permanent fixture in the lives of many. At the same time, marketers continue to attempt to keep up with digital trends, to varying levels of success. “Almost two-thirds of the global digital economy comes from the U.S. and China. Online retail and online travel will increase their share of the global digital economy and see 9% and 7% CAGR from 2023 to 2028, respectively,” per the report.
Marketers on how AI is changing effectiveness
There has been no shortage of talk over the last 12 months about what generative AI means for the future of marketing – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t having an impact right now. Marketing Week’s Language of Effectiveness survey, supported by Kantar. Shows that almost half of the 1,200 marketers surveyed are already using AI in certain areas of the marketing function to improve effectiveness. The data shows 46.2% are already using AI for market research. While 44.2% are using machine learning to produce multiple variants of campaign assets and 43.7% are implementing AI to optimise creative mid-campaign.
Google Ads API streamlines conversion adjustment uploads
Google is updating its Google Ads API to simplify conversion adjustment uploads. From 9th September, users can upload conversion adjustments immediately after recording the original conversion, removing the previous 24-hour waiting period. This update will eliminate error codes related to “too recent” conversions, with adjustments marked as “pending” until processed (up to 24 hours). It affects API versions v15, v16, and v17. API users should update their applications to remove waiting period logic and stop tracking the removed error codes. This change streamlines the process, potentially leading to more accurate and timely campaign data but may require adjustments to existing workflows. Google advises users to update their processes before 9th September.
Meta Is Making a Major Change to Its Algorithm Around Conversions
Meta is updating its advertising algorithm, focusing more on one-day conversion windows, where conversions are measured within a day of an ad click. This change may make the platform appear less effective initially and could raise ad costs, as Meta will target a smaller, more likely-to-convert audience. Advertisers may see fewer conversions reported, particularly if they haven’t optimized for one-day windows. The update, however, is expected to improve trust in Meta’s ad systems, especially for those using third-party measurement tools. Meta is also enhancing its ability to track incremental conversions, helping advertisers better assess ad effectiveness.
For more information on any of these stories, or for support with your digital marketing – whether you’d like to increase your brand awareness through Digital PR, or if you’d like increase reaching your audience through Paid Social, get in touch with our team. Send us an email to team@modo25.com
