March 2023 Digital News Updates – AI in marketing heats up

Facebook News Updates

• Meta Adds New Ad Transparency – In the “why am I seeing this ad?” section, you’ll now get more data about the target that the advertiser is using. This is a HUGE opportunity to learn more about your competitor’s advertising strategies.
• Meta AI Ads Linked to Higher ROI – In new tests with Advantage+ for advertisers, meta has found significantly higher ROI through AI targeting vs. advertiser entered targeting. Creating broad audiences for lower funnel ads is increasingly a strategy that can harness AI and payout.
• Meta Launches Paid Verifications – Keep in mind this is ONLY for profiles. But for $12/month you can get increased support and a blue badge.
• Meta Trends Report Released – This shows the key data-based trends Meta is noticing on the platform. A great read if you want to keep current on culture and consumer trends.

Instagram News Updates

• Instagram Launches Channels – This is a new broadcast chat feature. I’m already worried about spammers!  😉 This could be another great tool for businesses to stay front and center with their target audience.

Twitter News Updates

• Twitter Blue Users Get Longer Tweets – Up to 4,000 characters! Now Blue users (paid verified accounts) get the benefits of the blue logo, longer videos and longer tweets. Twitter has also said Blue content will be prioritized in the algorithms.
• Twitter Cuts More Staff as Revenue Declines – Twitter has eliminated 70% of its workforce. This could be a serious problem if the platform continues to decline.

LinkedIn News Updates

• LinkedIn Adds Starred Conversations – You can now more easily track the conversations that matter to you (especially needed with SO. MUCH. SPAM.) and filter messages to starred conversations only.
• LinkedIn Adds SEO Options for Articles – You can now set your SEO title and description. This shows a focus on driving more organic reach from search engines to your content. With the high authority of the LinkedIn site, articles could be a great tool to use in dominating search results.
• LinkedIn Ads Interest Targeting – You can now target by interests – but LinkedIn takes it a step further. You can target product interests, for example, to get even more focused.
• LinkedIn Newsletters can now be Scheduled – YAY!
• LinkedIn Activity Shown Visually – LinkedIn is joining the visual bandwagon and featuring the visuals of posts more prominently in activity feeds. Take a look at yours to check that it represents your personal brand appropriately.

TikTok News Updates

• TikTok Increases Research Data in Creative Center – If you want to know exactly what is trending for certain products, you can now dive in through the TikTok creative center. It has even more data about trends behind specific products, including top videos and themes. This is a powerful research tool for serious content creators.
• TikTok Launches Sounds for Business – With a specific audio library for businesses to use in the creation process.
• TikTok Tests In-Stream Shopping – This shows that TikTok is looking to increase their commerce capabilities. If you sell products online, pay attention!

Digital Marketing News Updates

• Social Media Engagement Rates are Declining – All the major networks except for TikTok are showing declines in engagement rates. If you notice this for your business – you aren’t alone!
• Google, Meta and Large Agencies All Bet Big on AI – The digital ad ecosystem is investing in AI to accelerate growth. Marketers need to be up-to-speed on how AI is impacting them.
• AI Created Images Are Not Copyright Protected – This means that you can feel free to use them (they aren’t copyrighted) but at the same time you can’t copyright them.
• YouTube Prioritizes AI for Next Year – The focus will be on using AI to support creators, but expect to see AI everywhere this year.
• Google Launches Bard – This is the Google AI… while not a resounding success yet, Google is betting big on AI to protect their search business.
• Bing Launches AI Image Creator – Not yet in all markets, but this is a great way to create images for social that are more interesting than standard stock photos.
• Microsoft Ads Chat AI to Search – Bing will include AI directly in search, making it easier for users to generate AI content.
• ChatGPT Plus Launches – This paid service provides premium features for AI power users.
• Google Slides has AI Built In – Automatically generate presentations based on a topic with AI built right in. This could be game changing for those creating new content.
• Google Issues Guidance on AI Content – Google will continue to highlight the most relevant content – whether it is created by AI or a human. This is good news for those who are using AI to assist in the content process.