In this week’s digital news to watch, we discuss landing page conversion rates, Google allowing users to remove personal information from search results, a new digital marketing and eCommerce certificate and the return of contextual advertising.
Meta releases whitepaper on improving landing page conversion rates
Meta have published a whitepaper sharing the results of a best practice study into landing page experiences. The whitepaper has been written to provide insights into landing page conversion rates and how marketers can improve, with best practice advice.
The report outlines key destination pages that need to be optimised:
- Home page – An overview of the product/service and a path to other pages.
- Product listing page – Details of the product and how the user can buy, leads to further details about the purchase.
- Product details page – Provides a clear path to adding the product to the shopping cart
- Form-driven landing page – Allows users to fill out a form for more information, an asset or further communication.
- Landing page – Created to get users to a certain page and to complete an action.
Google allow removal of personal information
As part of a new rollout, people can request the removal of personal contact information from Google’s search results. This includes phone numbers and physical addresses.
This update follows on from an existing Google policy that allows people to request the removal of personally identifiable information that’s sensitive in nature, like bank accounts and credit card numbers.
Google have announced that this expansion is to eliminate identity theft or financial fraud. To remove personal information from Google you must fill out a request form. Each request is evaluated against a set of criteria listed in the next section. If a request is approved, the URL will be removed from Google’s search index.
Google launch a new digital marketing and eCommerce certificate
Backed by two leading American advertising bodies, Google have launched a new career certificate in digital marketing and eCommerce.
The certificate has been created to help jobseekers and employers acquire the necessary skills to be successful in online business. Google has also promised to give every US business up to 500 Google Career Certificate scholarships to help upskill their employees.
This new certificate will provide hands-on experience with digital marketing tools and platforms including:
- Canva
- Google Ads
- Hootsuite
- HubSpot
- MailChimp
- Shopify
The return of contextual advertising
Following Google’s announcement to cull third-party cookies by 2023, it has become clear that contextual advertising will be making a comeback.
Previously, advertisers would display ads based on what someone was looking at. However, as the landscape changes, many platforms switched to displaying ads based on browsing history, searches, links clicked, and purchases.
The cookie cull means that advertisers will no longer be able to monitor this activity, and the best approach will be to try and reach their audiences through content and sites that their audiences are interested in.
“Contextual ads are better for publishers because they are able to serve ads to their customers that are relevant,” says Nat Poulter, co-chief executive officer of Jungle Creations. “They are better for advertisers because they are gaining access to a relevant audience. And contextual ads are better for the consumer because they are often being introduced to something new that interests them.”
Reflecting on Apple’s iOS 14 changes a year later
Apple’s iOS 14 update last year effectively told users that they could opt out of being tracked for ad targeting across apps and websites, and left marketeers feeling in the dark around advertising effectiveness.
The tracking was done via a mobile identifier called the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) which is crucial for advertisers to know whether someone bought an item or downloaded an app after they saw an ad that promoted it.
As more people opted out of sharing those identifiers, increasingly bigger gaps were created in data for marketers.
Over the last year, it’s become clear that attribution is now the problem. Advertising hasn’t become more difficult, but tracking the results has.
If you would like support with your digital marketing or attribution following the iOS 14 update, get in touch with our industry specialists by sending us an email to team@modo25.com
