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Google Chrome

This week Google implemented a new standard for ad filtering across the globe to match the existing standards in North America and Europe.

What does that mean?

Well, Google is essentially trying to improve the user experience on Chrome by blocking what it calls “intrusive” ads. For consumers, that will mean a smoother browsing experience with fewer pop ups and sticky ads.

How does this impact my marketing?

Most North American and European publisher sites pass the Better Ad Standards test, so the impact on users and publisher ad revenues has been minimal.

However, in other markets, such as Asia, consumer ad blocking is currently highest in the world — 50% according to a survey by Global Web Index.

For the majority of marketers, nothing will actually change. If the ads you create and publish are respectful already, then there won’t be any issues. However, if you use ads which – for example – auto-play or pop-up; flash or cover the entire screen, then you’ll find yourself in hot water with the Google bots.

What ads does Google frown upon?

Google has been working alongside the Coalition for Better Ads to define what constitutes an advertisement which is annoying or overly intrusive.

Below you can see some desktop and mobile examples of the type of ads Google frowns upon.

Source: Coalition For Better Ads

Given Google Chrome has 64% global market share, adhering to these standards is vital for marketers that want to make themselves known online.

We recommend you review any ads you have running to ensure they comply with Google’s new guidelines, and adjust them accordingly.

The bottom line. Use best practces and create ads your customers will enjoy seeing. They’ll benefit from a better user experience and a better interaction with your brand, while you will benefit from higher click through rates.

Insta Stories Update

One of the biggest shocks to the social media system of the last few years is the emergence of Instagram Stories.

Instagram’s attempt to snaffle Snapchat users was launched in August 2016, and now sees more than 500 million daily active users. That’s an insane amount of growth!

Understandably, brands and marketers are keen to capitalise on that captive audience. Now, Instagram has made our job just that little bit easier with the reported introduction of a new feature.

Once the update is rolled out (no news on when that is yet), any footage captured by your instastories camera will automatically be stored away and saved for seven days.

That’s brilliant news for anyone who takes a stunning snap but only comes up with the ideal caption a few days later. Previously, if you didn’t use the media right away, it was lost forever. Now, you can load it up and rework it over and over until your perfect story is ready to unleash on the world.

Benefits For Instagram Marketing

For us, there are loads of possible benefits attached to this new feature.

At Adlantic, we offer live social media coverage of events to clients. Usually, we would manually save all the Instagram Story content we capture on the day (and there tends to be a lot!) to use in later highlight or throwback posts.

With the introduction of this update, the manual work is done for us. We will be able to open up Instagram and post new highlights with ease.

Any content marketers looking to boost the reach of old blogs will also benefit from the feature. You can very quickly and easily access promo footage and reuse it to direct your audience to your website.

An App In Transition

Instagram is part of the Facebook family. The parent brand is not the powerhouse it used to be for marketers, but as influencer culture becomes more prominent, so is the relevance of Instagram to brands.

That matters to those in marketing because it means Facebook is spending more time and resources on Instagram. New features are always in the pipeline, making the photo sharing app a platform constantly in transition.

Where that transition will lead to is uncertain. We could end up with a saturated, clunky platform like Facebook; or an agile and innovative space which clever marketers can use to incredible effect.

Whatever the outcome, we at Adlantic are always searching for the best tricks and tips to improve the way we use Instagram for our clients.

For more news on when the feature goes live, make sure you follow us on Instagram at @theadlantic, and sign up for our marketing updates newsletter.

Sources:
WeRSM, Instagram Will Now Save Everything Captured With Stories Camera For Seven Days
Social Media Today, Instagram Stories Is Now Being Used By 500 Million People Daily
Social Media Today, The State Of Instagram Marketing 2019 – Part 1: Current Use Of Instagram By Marketers
Buffer, We Analyzed 15,000 Instagram Stories From 200 Of The World’s Top Brands

GDPR FAQs Blog

GDPR is now less than a month away, so we thought it would be useful to answer some of the questions we get asked lots by those unsure how to tackle the game changing data legislation. Below are Adlantic’s top seven GDPR Frequently Asked Questions. Read more

GDPR - 5 Things To Ask Your Agency

There isn’t a one size fits all when it comes to GDPR, every company is different. But it is important to remember that May 25th is a starting point, not a deadline. What matters most is how you adapt to not only survive (i.e. avoid fines) but thrive (achieve competitive advantage) in the new environment defined by GDPR.

Between now and then it is crucial for companies – and their marketing teams – to change the way ‘personal data’ is obtained, stored and secured to ensure compliance. GDPR, of course, extends well beyond marketing, but we will focus on the impact on marketing activities as this is where your agency should be able to give advice.

As every company has a slightly different situation, we thought it would be worth listing the questions you should be asking your agency.

1. Is there an easy way to ensure GDPR compliance?

Some very small organisations probably will be able to achieve compliance without much effort, but large organisations will need to spend a considerable amount of time. A recent survey by SmallBusiness.co.uk found that 1 in four companies with over 5000 employees expect the cost of GDPR to exceed £1M and UK SME has spent over 80 days (600 hours) preparing for the legislation over the past year.

2. What are the GDPR rules for how long I can keep data? Does GDPR require opt-in marketing communications?

GDPR doesn’t work by defining timescales, and therefore it’s impossible to provide a straightforward list of requirements that you need to meet. GDPR requires organisations to look at the personal data they hold and determine the right way to handle it. Although there are best practices emerging, organisations need to make decisions for themselves.

GDPR doesn’t require opt-in for marketing communications, despite what you might have heard. You can claim that direct marketing is a “legitimate interest” for your organisation, allowing you to use an opt-out policy, but you must make sure that the justification is documented clearly.

3. Does GDPR mean I have to stop email marketing, unless a contact explicitly opts-in?

This is a common misconception. Companies can claim that direct marketing is a ‘legitimate interest’ to their business therefore justified without explicit consent. However, citizens do have the right to opt out, you must balance the right to privacy of the data subject with your legitimate interest of direct marketing to decide whether claiming the legitimate interest is reasonable.

4. How do I show I’m compliant?

The regulations are pretty straightforward about this. To show compliance, you must:

  • Implement appropriate technical and organisational measures that ensure and demonstrate that you comply. This may include internal data protection policies such as staff training, internal audits of processing activities, and reviews of internal HR policies.
  • Maintain relevant documentation on processing activities.
  • Where appropriate, appoint a data protection officer.
  • Implement measures that meet the principles of data protection by design and data protection by default.

5. Can my agency sort out compliance for me?

Unfortunately, not. Agencies don’t have enough visibility into client activities and so would be unable to accurately represent the company.

It’s hard for a marketing agency to know everything that needs to be done, or for a client to give access to all the systems that contain personal data – which includes any folder containing files with contact details.

They can, however, review the marketing automation system to see whether there is clear documentation about the source and consent of a contact.

Some aspects of GDPR involve weighing the data subjects’ rights against a legitimate interest. Although agencies can give opinions on how to balance these rights, so clients are fully informed, in the end it’s a decision they must make based on advice from their legal counsel, and one that should never be outsourced to a marketing agency.

It’s not all doom and gloom…

Although GDPR does place some arduous demands on marketing & information technology, it is possible to comply and continue proactive practices and efficient database marketing automation activities that drive revenue for your company.

Although your marketing agency can’t do it for you there are many different points in the process at which they can help. There’s still time to meet the deadline if you’re able to call in knowledgeable help and support.

Sources

Napier, https://www.napierb2b.com/2018/01/gdpr-questions-ask-agency/

ICO, https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/marketing/

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