Digital Marketing News: Facebook Eliminates Ad-Targeting Tool

Every week we’re collecting a host of links, videos, and assorted analysis on the ever-changing world of digital marketing. We invite you to skim, share, analyze, argue, and refute – just so long as you don’t get embarrassed at the water cooler again. Here are the latest digital marketing news and trends for the week of April 6, 2018.

Facebook Eliminates Ad-Targeting Tool Partner Categories

In a response to heavy criticism of its privacy policies, Facebook is ending Partner Categories, a product that allowed third-party data providers to enhance targeting capabilities for Facebook advertisers.

Third-party data providers such as Experian and Acxiom will no longer be able to share valuable data including user purchasing data as well as other offline behavior insights. This is, perhaps, good news for Facebook users who are uneasy about the accuracy of Facebook ads. But for marketers, the move is an unfortunate blow that ends a relatively accepted business practice.

Facebook Makes A/B Testing Easier for Ads

Split testing, also known as A/B testing, isn’t necessarily new to Facebook Ads, but it’s now easier. Facebook announced Monday the integration of of split testing into the Quick Creation work flow, a more commonly used flow than split testing’s previous home, Guided Creation.

A/B testing is a valuable resource for advertisers. Through testing and comparing multiple ad formats, messaging, and other variables, they can zero in on the best strategies for connecting with their target audiences. Facebook is expanding its testing capabilities, allowing split tests for ads optimized for post engagement, Page likes, and event responses in addition to catalog sales, conversions, app installs, reach, video views, traffic, and lead generation.

Waze Introduces Waze Local

Waze, the community-based navigation app, officially announced the launch of Waze Local. The app allows small businesses and franchises to easily buy ads on the popular app, which according to Waze officials, has more than 100 million active users.

The app features three ad units:

Branded Pin: These function in much the same way that a physical street sign operates, notifying drivers that your business location is on or near their route.

Promoted Search: Similar to Google AdWords, this feature allows advertisers to push their brand to the top of search results.

Zero-Speed Takeover: According to Waze, this feature “is a digital billboard. It is shown when drivers are at a complete stop.”

There are three offerings depending on business size.

• Starter: Fewer than 10 locations
• Plus: Up to 50 locations
• Enterprise: More than 50 locations

Waze reports from an internal study that advertisers saw “20.4 percent more monthly navigations when they started advertising with Waze Local.”

What to Know About Google’s Core Algorithm Update

On March 12^th, Google confirmed a broad core algorithm update after webmasters started noticing a shake up in the SERPs.

Each day, Google usually releases one or more changes designed to improve our results. Some are focused around specific improvements. Some are broad changes. Last week, we released a broad core algorithm update. We do these routinely several times per year….

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) March 12, 2018

Google also stated that the algorithm update didn’t focus on content but rather an overall improvement of the quality of the SERPs. Additionally, instead of focusing on penalties, the update focused on rewarding the under-rewarded. Google has confirmed that sites that experienced ranking drops as a result of the broad core update aren’t necessarily doing anything wrong; the losses were short-lived and not drastic.