Just Ad'ed August 5 - 9

This week: Meta shifts focus away from exclusion targeting, LinkedIn empowers brands with new newsletter sponsorship options, AI struggles to ensure brand safety in digital ads, Google recovers from a major reporting glitch, and SE Ranking uncovers crucial SEO insights in the evolving landscape of AI-powered search.

Meta’s Big Switch: Exclusion Targeting Takes a Backseat

📈 What Happened?

On July 29, 2024, Meta removed the option to use detailed targeting exclusions in new ad sets. Existing campaigns with these exclusions will be unaffected until January 31, 2025, after which they will no longer be delivered.

🔍 Why Does It Matter?

This change could impact your advertising strategy, especially if you rely on excluding specific audiences to optimize performance. Meta’s tests indicate that not using these exclusions may lead to lower costs per conversion, but it also means you’ll need to adjust how you target ads.

⚖️  What Should We Do? 

Review and update any ad sets that use detailed targeting exclusions. Explore alternative exclusion options, such as Custom Audience exclusions, and use the audience controls in your Advertising settings to maintain audience precision.

From Posts to Power Moves: LinkedIn’s Latest Newsletter Sponsorships

📈 What Happened? 

LinkedIn has expanded its sponsored newsletter feature, allowing brands to sponsor not just their own newsletters but also those created by other users in the app. This new option enables brands to place their branding on popular newsletters by thought leaders in their industry, increasing the reach of these publications through paid promotions.

🔍 Why Does It Matter?

This expansion offers brands a new way to tap into established audiences and enhance their visibility on LinkedIn. With the growing popularity of newsletters on the platform—engagement has risen by 47% over the past year—sponsoring a well-regarded newsletter could significantly boost brand exposure and align companies with trusted industry voices.

⚖️  What Should We Do?

Brands should explore sponsoring relevant newsletters to reach niche audiences more effectively. Consider which thought leaders or industry newsletters align with your brand values and could offer meaningful exposure.

The Brand Safety Blind Spot: What AI Isn’t Catching

📈 What Happened?

A new report from Adalytics reveals that hundreds of brands have been placed next to unsafe content on user-generated content (UGC) websites, despite using brand-safety technology from major providers like DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science. The report raises concerns about the effectiveness of AI-driven brand safety tools.

🔍 Why Does It Matter? 

For advertisers spending millions on brand safety, this report questions whether AI tools are truly protecting their investments. The findings suggest that these tools may be over-promised and under-delivering, leading to potential reputational risks and wasted spend on ineffective technology.

⚖️  What Should We Do?

Advertisers should demand more transparency and comprehensive reporting from brand safety providers. It may be necessary to reevaluate the current reliance on AI tools and consider alternative or additional measures to ensure that ads are placed in safe and appropriate environments.

Reporting Blunder: Google Ads Recovers from Major Data Mix-Up

📈 What Happened?

Google Ads experienced a major reporting glitch that exposed some advertisers to data from other accounts and disrupted reporting services. The issue began on July 30, 2024, and most services have since been restored, with Google promising credits to those affected.

🔍 Why Does It Matter? 

This glitch raised significant privacy concerns, as advertisers were exposed to data from other Google Merchant Center accounts. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in the advertising ecosystem and the importance of maintaining data integrity and privacy.

⚖️  What Should We Do?

Advertisers should closely review their accounts for any discrepancies and await further communication from Google regarding credits and corrections. It’s also a reminder to stay vigilant about data security and to have contingency plans in place for unexpected disruptions in ad services.

SEO in the Age of AI: What SE Ranking’s Study Reveals

📈  What Happened?

SE Ranking conducted an in-depth study on Google AI Overviews (AIOs) and their impact on search visibility. The study examined the sources prioritized by AI Overviews, providing insights into how these AI-generated answers function and how they may affect SEO strategies.

🔍  Why Does It Matter?

As Google AI Overviews become a more prominent part of search results, understanding their behavior is crucial for SEO specialists, website owners, and businesses. The study's findings highlight the changing dynamics of search visibility, emphasizing the need to adapt content strategies to maintain or improve rankings.

⚖️  What Should We Do?

Businesses and SEO specialists should leverage the insights from this study to refine their content strategies. Focus on optimizing for the niches and query types most likely to trigger AI Overviews, and ensure your content aligns with top-linked domains in these AI-generated answers.

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