Google has recently announced some new advertising plans which will enable brands to make the most of YouTube shorts, the company’s fast-growing short-form video offering. YouTube Shorts has now reached over two billion monthly logged-in users and over 70 billion views each day across the globe. A new blog post has announced that there would be a new curated content selection, from which brands could place short ads next to popular videos.

What are YouTube Select short ads and how can they help brands?

The YouTube Select Shorts is the new platform for ads. Google has curated a platform that allows brands to choose popular and trending short-form content to place their ads against.

YouTube Select Shorts is a new advertising platform curated by Google that allows brands to place their YouTube Shorts ads alongside popular and trending short-form videos. This initiative benefits brands by providing audience targeting which will allow users to reach the right users who are more likely to engage. Additionally, there will be greater exposure across devices, with TVs showcasing YouTube Shorts with an increase of 100% by 2023 for YouTube Shorts viewership. Finally, this new initiative will provide brands with the opportunity to be present on a platform that has billions of monthly users.

How will the ABCD Framework support Short Ads?

Google has expanded the ABCD framework for Short Ads to improve the chances of success for advertisers. This includes format guidance so that marketers can properly elevate their strategy. A recent study by Kantar has found that by implementing the ABCD principles brands can expect to increase their short-term sales by up to 30%.

The framework has four key tenets: Attention, Branding, Connection and Direction.

• Attention: Googler recommends that brands install creative messaging, audio and imagery to engage customers.
• Branding: Maintain a strong brand message and raise awareness by using integrated branding from the start.
• Connection: With clear messages and emotional storytelling (whether that be humour or love for example) you should create a connection with the user.
• Direction: Point your audience in the right direction with smart CTAs and voiceovers.

The innovative collaboration suggests that Google’s robots may soon start producing advertisements for globally renowned brands such as Coca-Cola. WWP, one of the world’s biggest advertising groups has announced a new collaboration with Google, who will use Gemini (their AI tool) to help create ads.

How will WPP utilize Gemini AI?

Initially, there are a few ways in which Gemini will assist WPP brands. This includes Ad narration such as voice over for video creative, the generation of scripts for ad voiceovers and the creation of product images. For example, with regards to AI narration, the system will create bespoke and customizable scripts for voiceovers, which are then sent to Eleven Labs, a London-based start-up to create the voice. Whilst the product images will be created through Gemini 1.5 Pro and Universal Scene Description 3D file forms. This will make 3D images that can be cross-referenced against brand guidelines.  This landmark deal could mean that an AI will create ad campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the world such as Nestle. 

Why have WPP done this now?

WPP has an estimated 114,000 staff around the world and the UK ad revenue equates to approximately $18.9 billion. The company claims that this collaboration will improve their market efficiency and effectiveness. The company will integrate Gemini and merge Google’s expert knowledge of generative AI, data analytics and cyber security. The Google Cloud will combine with WPP’s patented marketing and advertising data. This incorporation will allow WPP’s clients to generate product-explicit content using gen AI. This should also allow WPP’s clients to get a better and more detailed understanding of their target audiences.

Should we be worried about this deal?

The deal reflects the growing importance of AI in the marketing world and it is certainly something that can help people manage their time and potentially make companies such as WPP far more effective and efficient. However, it is worth noting that with AI becoming more capable of replicating roles traditionally done by humans, it could lead to a drop in the reliance on physical staff. 

Meta has issued a denial that they have been providing Netflix with their users’ private messages. The claim has grown in notoriety over the last month, with Elon Musk claiming that this was true through posts on X, formerly Twitter. The accusation stems from a court filing within a class action lawsuit that Facebook is currently facing with regard to data privacy. 

What does the document claim?

The court filing alleged that Meta and Netflix had a unique relationship, with Facebook, a subsidiary of Meta, even reducing their budgets for Facebook original programming so they didn’t compete with Netflix – who were a large advertiser on the social networking site. In 2017, it was reported that Netflix was spending $150 million on Facebook ads. However, most problematically, it claims that Netflix was granted special access to Meta’s Inbox API which allowed the streamer “programmatic access” to Facebook user’s private messages. This has understandably led many to criticize Meta for illegally sharing their data with another company.

How has Meta responded to this?

Meta has denied the report’s accuracy with Andy Stone, Meta’s Communications Director pushing back by claiming Musk’s statement was “shockingly untrue”. Instead, he countered by stating that the Netflix agreement allowed users to private message friends about Netflix suggestions directly from their app and share this across Facebook. This is a standard practice across the media industry. In essence, he claimed that Netflix had access via a plugin, rather than being able to read individual messages.

Is this the first time Meta has been accused of selling data?

Unfortunately for Meta, this isn’t the first time they have been accused of data breaches. A New York Times article in 2018 stated that Netflix and Spotify could access private messages based on documents they had received. The blog post explained that the Facebook API was accessible for Netflix and Spotify, meaning they could see conversations about what people were watching or listening to. 

Whilst Stone denied that Netflix was snooping, it is worth noting that the company was granted privileges other brands were not. Indeed, the report claims that Netflix had access to the Titan API and conversely shared a bi-monthly report to Meta about user engagement.

As we delve deeper into the age of artificial intelligence, YouTube is taking significant steps to ensure transparency and integrity in the content shared on its platform. Here’s what’s new and how it affects creators and viewers alike.

Introducing Self-Labeling for AI-Generated Content

YouTube recently unveiled a feature that allows creators to self-identify their videos containing AI-generated or synthetic material during the upload process. This initiative aims to maintain honesty and clarity on the platform, requiring creators to mark “altered or synthetic” content that mimics reality. This could range from videos making a real person say or do something they didn’t, altering footage of real events and places, to showcasing a realistic-looking scene that never actually occurred.

What Needs to Be Disclosed?

Creators are now faced with the responsibility of disclosing any content that could potentially deceive viewers into thinking it’s real. YouTube provided examples to clarify the type of content needing disclosure:

• A fake tornado moving towards a real town
• Using deepfake technology to alter a real person’s voice in a narration
• However, YouTube delineates that disclosures are not necessary for content that is evidently fictitious, such as animation, beauty filters, or special effects like background blur.

Balancing Protection and Creativity

In November, YouTube introduced a nuanced AI-generated content policy, establishing two levels of guidelines: stringent ones aimed at protecting music labels and artists, and more lenient rules applicable to the broader creator community. For instance, deepfake music videos could be subject to removal at the request of the artist’s label. Yet, for average individuals impersonated through deepfakes, the removal process involves a more complex privacy request form, highlighting the challenges in managing AI-generated content.

The Honour System and Beyond

YouTube’s approach to AI content labelling largely relies on creators being truthful about their videos’ content. Despite the intrinsic challenges in detecting AI-generated content—owing to the historical inaccuracy of AI detection tools—YouTube is committed to enhancing its detection capabilities. The platform also reserves the right to add AI disclosures to videos post-upload, particularly when the content might mislead viewers, with more explicit labels for sensitive topics such as health, elections, and finance.

Looking Forward

With these updates, YouTube joins other social media giants in the quest to regulate AI-generated content, balancing innovation with integrity. This move is not only about adhering to a set of rules but also about fostering a culture of transparency and trust among creators and viewers. As the landscape of digital content continues to evolve, these guidelines will play a crucial role in shaping the future of content creation and consumption on YouTube.

For further insights on digital media trends and AI’s impact, resources like Pew Research Center and Statista offer valuable statistics and analyses on the technology’s broader implications.

The Google March 2024 core algorithmic update has arrived and it’s bad news for brands who have been taking advantage of AI-generated tools such as ChatGPT. Google’s update will penalise sites that have been made using AI-generated content, due to this content’s inability to meet the standards of quality that Google has outlined in its documentation.

What’s the problem with AI-generated content?

There is nothing wrong with creating AI content, however, it must be acceptable for Google and meet their quality standards. There are numerous ranking systems such as the Helpful Content and Reviews system that have such a strident quality system that AI content will always be unable to satisfy this. For example, there are several qualities that Google documentation, which rules out AI-derived content such as Experience, author page, author background information, author About page, Google Perspectives, Google News and published reviews.

Can AI content still be used?

Unfortunately, due to the impact of online regulations, AI is facing a daunting challenge. However, there are still ways to implement AI that can benefit your business without getting on the wrong side of Google.

For example, creating review content using AI is a possibility. You could consider using these tools to improve the rough draft of content that the human has produced. If you want a review product you can use human analysis to work out benchmarks and positives and negatives, before uploading it to an AI tool to use your language, thoughts and analysis to create the review.

We should look at AI as a method of enhancing our reporting, data dives and rough ideas. Ai can’t identify all the quirks and nuggets of information, but humans can. Therefore, AI can complement the human element of creating content.

Google will begin its rollout of new AI updates to Android products over the next week with some exciting features set to arrive. The updates also range from normal Android product to the Wear OS technology as well as access to Gemini.

What can we expect from Gemini?

You are now able to access the Google AI system Gemini from Google Messages on your Android device. This means you can draft messages, create ideas physically and plan events or meetings all within the confines of the Messages app. Additionally, the Android Auto feature will become more advanced as the interface is using AI to allow the user to immediately summarise long texts or group chats and even saves you time by providing suggested replies.

How is the update is helping with Maps?

This new update has many benefits for Google Maps across different devices. The new Lens feature in Maps, for example, will use AI and augmented reality to allow users to see and pinpoint places as they pan their phones. In short, it allows users to enter the map. Furthermore, the TalkBack feature will tell you information such as ratings, directions and opening times out loud which is helpful for many and makes
the tool more inclusive for those who are blind. Moreover, the new Wear OS update will allow users to see maps on their watches, as well as access boarding passes, cards and see departure times of for transport such as buses and trains.

The update also improves switching devices

The update has also made it much easier to switch between your devices. For instance if you wanted to change devices but continue listening to YouTube Music, you can use the output switcher and you can then beam a song. This can also be done with Spotify and has capacity to switch between TV, phone, headphones and other smart displays. The aim is to create a bespoke and personalised user experience whereby its customers can easily move between all elements of their Google profile.

In an era where the fusion of social media data with search engine capabilities is becoming increasingly strategic, Google’s latest move to integrate Reddit’s vast repository of user-generated content into its search algorithm marks a pivotal moment in digital search dynamics.

Google and Reddit’s strategic partnership, involving a $60 million deal, is a forward-thinking initiative to integrate Reddit’s vast, user-generated content into Google Search. This collaboration not only promises to enhance the search experience by providing users with rich, real-time insights directly from Reddit’s communities but also signifies a major step in utilizing social media data to improve search relevancy and depth. For Reddit, this deal represents a significant leap towards increasing its visibility and user engagement across its myriad of niche forums, marking a transformative moment in its business trajectory.

Here’s an exploration of what this partnership entails and its implications for both platforms and their users.

Benefits for Google

For Google, the partnership with Reddit offers significant benefits by providing exclusive access to a wealth of real-time, user-generated content. This access enables Google to enhance its search algorithms with fresh, structured information from Reddit’s dynamic discussions, enriching search results with diverse perspectives and insights.

Additionally, it bolsters Google’s generative AI projects with unique data, helping to refine and improve AI-driven content generation and search relevance, further solidifying Google’s position in the competitive search engine market.

Benefits for Reddit

The partnership with Google offers Reddit enhanced visibility and user engagement across its forums. Direct integration with Google’s search capabilities means Reddit’s content and discussions will reach a wider audience, potentially increasing participation in its communities.

This deal signifies a valuable endorsement of Reddit’s platform and its efforts to evolve into a more mainstream, user-friendly space, aligning with its broader business objectives and future growth plans, including its anticipated initial public offering (IPO).

Strategic and Financial Implications

The strategic partnership between Google and Reddit carries profound strategic and financial implications. Strategically, it positions Google to enhance its search engine with unique, user-driven content, potentially outpacing competitors in delivering relevant search experiences.

Financially, while the $60 million per year deal provides a substantial revenue stream for Reddit, it’s the long-term benefits—increased visibility, user engagement, and potential growth—that underscore the deal’s value.

This partnership not only signifies a pivotal shift in Reddit’s business model but also highlights the increasing value of social media data in the digital economy.

The impact on SEO

The strategic partnership between Google and Reddit might significantly impact Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies. By prioritizing Reddit’s user-generated content in search results, websites and content creators may need to consider engagement on Reddit as part of their SEO strategy. This could involve creating content that resonates with Reddit communities or leveraging Reddit for insights into trending topics and audience interests.

Additionally, the freshness and authenticity of Reddit’s content could influence Google’s search algorithms, emphasizing the importance of real-time, community-driven content in achieving SEO success.

This week Instagram announced that it would expand its Creator Marketplace offering into eight new countries: the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, India, Brazil & Japan. The marketplace is a platform which connects creators and brands for advertising or paid partnerships. Chinese export brands are also expected to join the marketplace in the next year.

Why has Meta decided to expand the marketplace tool?

The platform was initially launched in the US in 2022, where both brands and creators have found much success. Instagram claimed that thousands of brands and creators have been onboarded since then. Consequently, Instagram also added API features which allowed briefs to be outlined and agencies were invited to join.

Furthermore, Instagram is competing with other offerings from rivals such as Snap, YouTube and TikTok which offer a similar model. Instagram wants to ensure that its platform is the most effective and influential partnership space.

How does the tool work?

The marketplace allows marketers to approach creators for a paid partnership or even a partnership ad, and this can help drive organic traffic or conversions. Creators can access the professional dashboard via their Instagram app and can feature the topics and themes that are most relatable to them. Thus, removing any confusion or mistaken connections.

The dashboard is boosted by algorithmic machine learning technology. This allows for a more tailored version of the dashboard for each user and expedites brand matches. Alternatively, a brand could manually search for a creator outside of these specifications if they so wished.

Once a request is made, creators will be able to see all the messages in their Partnership Messages folder in the app. Here they can review the content and assess whether they’d like to reply.

The expansion hasn’t arrived just yet, but we recommend creators keep an eye on the Meta Business Suite for when the rollout is complete.

In June 2023, Google announced that they would be redeveloping their News feature by rolling out a new design for the Following feed on Android. This feed provides the user with updates on topics, locations, and sources that they have customised and selected.

What has Google changed with the Following Feed?

Historically, Google News would allow users to follow whatever topic they wanted whether that was Sports, Politics or Health, for example, as well as the publications (such as the New York Times) as well as their location. The Google algorithm would then collate this information into your ‘For You’ feed. The Following tab would simply list everything that you followed however this has now changed to create a custom board with cards for all the topics, sources, and locations.

Whilst you can’t amend the card’s position in the app they are all linked back to the main hub. Additionally, the app has a recently followed section which will allow users to find something quickly if they would rather not scroll. In general, this redesign has created a more enjoyable UX and users for all to have a more focused experience as well as offering greater control over your News.

Why has Google made the update?

These changes have arrived following Google’s decision to overhaul the Material You, element of Google News earlier in the year. Material You is the new design language, which Google has implemented across all products such as Pixel Watch and Pixel 7 Pro phone. The design is expected to make a user’s experience more customizable and personal.

However, there has been speculation that the redesign is merely laying the groundwork for a product merger with the Chrome browser. Despite this, the update reiterates Google’s commitment to creating a tailored user experience across all its products.

Non-Amazon sellers will soon be able to advertise the site with the company launching a beta platform that could be a lucrative new way for companies to reach new audiences. Amazon currently offers display advertising only, however by opening its doors to new customers and allowing companies to generate leads via this platform, they are expanding a marketers advertising portfolio with very valuable audiences.

What are Amazon’s Non-Endemic Ads?

This new ad system will enable businesses who aren’t selling directly on Amazon to run campaigns such as lead generation, to reach Amazon users. The channel will be available for the automobile, travel, restaurant, and education sectors as well as local services.

Additionally, the brands will be able to target audiences using the deep well of Amazon data, which is particularly good for gauging a user’s interests on the site. These campaigns will also run on other Amazon-owned third-party sites such as IMBd and Twitch.

What type of campaigns can a business run?

There will be two options for users, the cost per click campaign (CPC) and the cost per thousand impressions (vCPM) model. For comparison, these mirror the traffic-driving campaigns and brand awareness campaigns in Meta. The CPC should be used for engagement with the impressions tactic being implemented for visibility. In the beta platform, location targeting is slightly limited but you can still reach cities – however, this beta platform is still only available in the US.

Why should advertisers consider Amazon?

Amazon’s is not only the size of its audience but also that it is privacy compliant, which is very important as we head towards a cookieless world. Additionally, the ability to target based on product interaction and purchasing behaviour makes it versatile and different to Meta or LinkedIn.

Whilst we don’t recommend shifting the budget fully towards Amazon, it could be a great way to supplement your campaign and allow brands to reach specific individuals who potentially were hard to reach. If you are in an appropriate industry, we suggest utilising some budget for testing Amazon’s new offering.