Welcome to the latest instalment in our series of weekly roundups, where we bring you the latest exciting developments in the world of digital marketing. This week, we look into why Reddit is no longer allowing users to opt out of ad personalisation, why nearly half of podcast listeners choose to skip ads and much more.
Let’s dive into some of the latest and exciting updates and news from the marketing world…
Table of Contents
Nearly half of podcast listeners choose to skip ads
Research from YouGov suggests more than two in five podcast listeners are avoiding advertising entirely, while just 14% say they find them un-intrusive. The study found just one in seven listeners (14%) find ads in podcasts to be interesting and not interruptive, while more than two in five (42%) skip them altogether, an increase on the previous year when 36% of regular listeners felt the same. Almost one in five (18%) listeners find podcast ads to be intrusive but choose to listen to them anyway – although whether that is because they want to support the podcast or simply don’t want to skip is unclear. And 14% say that while they do not find them particularly intrusive equally they don’t find them particularly interesting either (compared to 17% in 2019). Acast, one of the largest podcast advertising platforms, does not track when users skip ads and consequently, there is no price discount reflecting around ad-skipping.
Reddit will no longer allow users to opt out of ad personalisation
The mandatory opt-in for personalised ads was announced as part of a series of settings updates that will gradually be rolled out in the coming weeks. Select unspecified countries will still be able to opt out. The change, which is being rolled out over the next few weeks, won’t increase the frequency of ads, but users can expect better-targeted ads. “Select countries” will still feature opt-out controls for Reddit users, however, specific locations have not yet been confirmed. Why we care. This change enables Reddit’s models to better predict which ads may be most relevant to users, helping brands to reach higher-value consumers. Advertisers should prioritise reaching their target audience to enhance campaign effectiveness, improve cost efficiency, and increase the likelihood of engagement and conversions.
Google Search generative experience adds “About this result” feature
Google are adding the “About this result” feature into their Search Generative Experience to explain where Google gets their information from and how they formed their answer. This will soon be rolling out to individual links within the answers too, to give searchers more information about the webpages that are backing up the SGE answer.
This is positive news for SEOs worried about what the SGE will mean for organic visibility in SERPs as this feature should help to highlight the sources behind the answers.
Links are not a top three Google Search ranking factor, says Gary Illyes
Speaking at Pubcon Pro in Austin last week, Google’s Gary Illyes announced that links are not a top 3 Google Search ranking factor and that he thinks people often overestimate their importance.
Our advice would still be to absolutely incorporate link building into your SEO strategy. Ultimately, every site will have a different “top three” ranking factors, based on the niche you’re in and the competition for the terms you’re trying to rank for. So, despite Google’s recent downplaying of how important they are, links definitely do still make a significant impact in a lot of cases.
To be clear, Gary Illyes said himself that links do still matter, it is just that with recent advancements to Google’s algorithm, they are able to take into account many more factors than they previously could, when they relied on links as “votes” that your site was reliable.
Google Ads VP emails Chrome & Search team for ranking tweaks & query injections from Chrome
There are more significant leaks from Google this week as the DoJ case continues.
The email discusses a pressing issue related to revenue targets for the upcoming quarter. The sender expresses concern that they are falling short on queries while being ahead in terms of ad launches, which could lead to a significant revenue deficit compared to their plan. Missing this revenue target for the second consecutive quarter could have negative consequences for the company’s stock price and employee morale.
To address this issue, the email suggests the need for an injection of at least a certain percentage of additional queries, ideally more, from the Chrome browser.
It’s not clear what is meant by “injecting more queries” but it’s worrying that Google seem to be willing to compromise search results to boost Google Ads performance. .
IAB says digital ads worth £129bn to UK (£14,600 per household)
The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) reports that digital advertising in the UK is valued at £12.9 billion, equivalent to roughly £14,600 per household. This figure represents the overall economic contribution of digital advertising to the UK’s economy. The IAB’s findings underscore the significance of digital advertising in the country, both as a driver of economic activity and as a medium for reaching consumers. Digital advertising encompasses various formats, including display ads, search ads, and video ads, and its substantial value highlights its role in supporting businesses and content creators while offering insights into its impact on households in the UK.
If you’re looking for some expert advice on how to keep your digital marketing strategies up to date and follow the trends in a rapidly moving market – get in touch with us. Our team of experts will be more than willing to discuss your requirements and offer their knowledge – just fire over an email to team@modo25.com and we’ll get back to you.
