There’s never a shortage of news when it comes to digital marketing, which is why we include a news roundup segment in each episode of the EDGE. The latest features host Erin Sparks and Creative Studio Producer Jacob Mann along with special guest Bill Sebald, Managing Partner of Greenlane Marketing. Here’s the news roundup from Episode 331 of the award-winning EDGE of the Web podcast:
Google Releases its Site Kit WordPress Plugin Out of Beta
From Matt Southern on Search Engine Journal we learn that Google Releases its Site Kit WordPress Plugin Out of Beta. Google has released version 1.0 of its Site Kit plugin for WordPress, which means its officially out of beta after 6 months. Site Kit allows WordPress users to access data from Google products right on their site’s WordPress dashboard. The plugin aggregates data from a search engine, search console, Google analytics page, speed insights as well as AdSense. Clients can see performance stats and improvement recommendations directly from Google. Site Kit also allows you use to set roles and permissions and make sure only relevant people can see the data.
- Erin Sparks: It is cool to be able to have that type of direct, immediate information as opposed to going through all of these different tools. But Bill, what do you think about having Google plugged into your site to that degree?
- Bill Sebald: I think it’s great. I’m kind of surprised they haven’t done it before. I know there are other tools that do this. The page level view I think is really cool. Just makes it easier to get data out of analytics and the other sources. I did try to install it. It did not work. Google, put it back into beta. You’re not ready. You know how WordPress is, sometimes it’s just you won the unlucky lottery. I’m sure it’s working for everyone else, but it’s a great tool. I think it definitely should be something everybody has. Why not?
- Erin Sparks: You don’t think that there’s any potential problems with Google knowing a little bit more information inside of the site workings?
- Bill Sebald: Well, what’s left? What can’t they already get? It’s like anything else – you give up a little bit of security for some convenience.
Twitter Cancels Political Advertising
According to Roger Montti on Search Engine Journal, Twitter Cancels Political Advertising. Twitter’s Jack Dorsey tweeted that Twitter will no longer accept political advertising. He shamed Facebook for allowing false claims in political ads and with this move it could be implied that it challenges other social networks. The new policy will be in force on November 22, 2019.
- Erin Sparks: Twitter’s Jack Dorsey tweeted that Twitter will no longer accept political advertising. He shamed Facebook for allowing false claims in political ads and with this move it could be implied that it’s actually challenging other social networks. The new policy will be enforced on November 22nd. That’s pretty radical change here and Twitter has had some contentions in the past where they didn’t allow certain political advertising on its social networks. Now I guess this is kind of leveling the playing field. They’re just not going to take political advertising. It’s great to be able to have that type of platform where you don’t need that level of financial millions and tens of millions coming in from advertising campaigns. But what do you think, Bill?
- Bill Sebald: I think it’s bold for a company that is always trying to figure out how to make money on their platform, cutting away some of that potential ad revenue. I saw the tweet a couple of minutes after it happened and I read the threads and it seems like it’s a pretty welcomed thing. The responses were very, very favorable. Let’s see what the other platforms do.
- Erin Sparks: Oh, I sincerely doubt that Facebook’s going to break themselves away from that money. Although it would be great to be able to have social media not just completely inundated with political advertising. We’re about to go into a year of nonstop political advertising.
- Bill Sebald: Content.
- Jacob Mann: Content.
Facebook Announces Changes to Ad Metrics, Including Removal of 10-Second Video Views
On Social Media Today, Andrew Hutchinson reports that Facebook Announces Changes to Ad Metrics, Including Removal of 10-Second Video Views. Facebook has announced that it is implementing some updates to its video view metrics as of this month. First off, Facebook is removing its 10-second video view metrics, which includes 10-Second Video Views, Cost per 10-Second Video View and Unique 10-Second Video Views. 15-second video optimization and metrics are in via ThruPlay, theoretically because the 15-second approach gets better results.
- Erin Sparks: I know you’re not in the social space, but there’s certainly a number of things that are gearing up on the social media side of things as we go into this political year. What do you think about their changes there?
- Bill Sebald: I think it sounds fine. I’m an old curmudgeon who hates change, but anything that they’re going to make simpler, perfect for me. I’m a simpleton so it sounds like a nice change.
Connect with Bill Sebald and Greenlane Marketing
Twitter: @billsebald (https://twitter.com/billsebald)
Greenlane Marketing: https://www.greenlanemarketing.com
Greenlane Twitter: @greenlane_team (https://twitter.com/Greenlane_Team)
Greenlane Facebook: @greenlaneteam (https://www.facebook.com/greenlaneteam)
Greenlane instagram: @greenlane_team (https://www.instagram.com/greenlane_team)
Greenlane LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenlane-marketing
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