Find out all the details in this month’s digital marketing round-up!
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Facebook, Instagram to charge GST on ads by mid-2019
Social media giants Facebook and Instagram will soon be charging sales tax on online advertisements on their platforms that are purchased through their office in Canada.
CTV News has confirmed that, by mid-2019, both services will be charging the goods and services tax, which could result in a considerable tax revenue for the federal government.
Facebook changes how it measures video ad metrics
Facebook has updated its video ad metrics, bringing its metrics more in line with how people watch and interact with videos.
More specifically, Facebook is updating video ad metrics with respect to reporting the total amount of time a video was viewed.
At long last, Facebook turns on WhatsApp monetization
Facebook and WhatsApp have announced the launch of the WhatsApp Business API, which companies can use to manage their conversations with customers at scale. The WhatsApp Business app on Android now has over 3 million users, according to a Facebook blog post.
Using the new suite of tools, businesses can exchange or provide information to customers, make it easier for customers to initiate conversations by integrating a click-to-chat button, and offer real-time support. Users will be able to easily block any business that might be sending too many unsolicited messages.
YouTube to roll out Non-Skippable Ads to all Creators
YouTube will soon be expanding non-skippable ads to all creators who can already monetize content.
This update will be happening within the week, and creators will receive a notification letting them know when they’re able to run non-skippable ads.
Google’s Aug. 1 core algorithm update: Who did it impact, and how much?
A week after the big Google algorithm update, nicknamed the Medic Update, here is everything we know about it, including official information from Google and non-official insights from across the industry.
Google Analytics access will auto verify you in Google Search Console
Google announced that they will now begin automatically verifying some users in Google Search Console, which will open up access to Google Search Console to countless (I don’t even know the figure, hundreds of thousands, millions?) of webmasters, site owners and more. In short, if you are a verified owner of a Google Analytics property, Google will automatically verify you for that same website in Search Console.
Google Assistant will now find you ‘good news’
There’s a lot of bad news these days, from ongoing Russian election hacking to climate change to poisoned food to trade wars. To combat the perception that we’re marching toward the Apocalypse, news publishers are running dedicated “good news” sections or newsletters to counter all the depressing stuff.
Now, Google is doing a version of this. As an experiment only in the US, Google Assistant will respond to a request to “Tell me something good” by providing stories from the Solutions Journalism Network, which compiles positive stories from a range of media publishers and outlets. It requires the customary “OK, Google” or “Hey Google.”
Relax, binge watchers. Netflix is not adding commercials
Netflix is setting the record straight: It’s not adding commercials. It is testing out video promotions between episodes and movies. They can be skipped.
Amazon is planning Live TV recorder, challenging TiVo
Amazon.com Inc. is developing a new device that records live TV, working around cable providers and encroaching on TiVo Corp.’s market, according to a person familiar with the plans.
The device, dubbed “Frank” inside Amazon, is a new type of digital video recorder for the streaming era. It would include physical storage and connect to Amazon’s existing Fire TV boxes, the living room hub for the company’s online video efforts, according to the person. They asked not to be identified discussing unannounced product details. An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment.
Giphy adds curated stories to desktop, mobile web
Gif sharing service Giphy is the latest to jump on the Stories bandwagon: The New York-based startup unveiled a new version of its website Monday that incorporates Giphy’s very own take on the popular storytelling format.
At launch, Giphy Stories are limited to curated collections of Gifs selected by the company’s editorial team. On mobile, each of these stories displays as an auto-advancing slide show of Gifs, complete with snarky subtitles.
Apple announces September 12 event, where new iPhones are expected to be unveiled
Apple is set to reveal its latest lineup of products on Sept. 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the tech giant’s campus, it announced in an invitation to media. The event starts at 10 a.m. P.T.
Analysts and news outlets are expecting upgrades to nearly every Apple product line. Reports have suggested a new line of iPhones, a new MacBook Air and updated Mac Mini, upgrades to the iPad and a new Apple Watch.
