This week, there were NEW Google updates, a LinkedIn lead generation tool unveiled and so many more business, digital marketing and tech news stories that impact businesses.
Discover exactly what you need to know and how it impacts your business, marketing and more below.
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This Week’s News Stories You Need to Know
In light of their 18th birthday in May, LinkedIn has celebrated the milestone with new updates.
These new features are aimed toward company pages and personal brands.
The new LinkedIn updates can include, but not limited to:
- Creator mode to increase organic conversation.
- Characters in posts have been increased to 3000 instead of 1300.
- 30 second introduction videos can now be added behind photos in stories.
Google is going to be tightening their security features, making it harder for apps to track Android device user data in the future.
This comes after Apple’s controversial iOS 14.5 update, which enforced apps having to ask for permission to track and use data before being able to do so.
Decisions such as these impact businesses utilising app data tracking for advertising, but also users. By turning off app data tracking, users will notice the ads they receive are less targeted to their needs and interests.
We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.
YouTube has released five NEW insights for video publishers, including:
- More data on channel memberships.
- Increased insights visibility on mobile, not just desktop.
- Better data on video performance.
- Insights into revenue changes.
- YouTube post engagement metrics.
Businesses can use the new data to keep their content engaging for their users.
The Victorian Government has announced a further $32 million in additional support for the tourism industry for eligible businesses ahead of the long weekend. This includes:
- A new automated Tourism Supplement top-up payment, if the business is already eligible for the $2,500 or $5,000 payments.
- An Alpine Support Program to support the six Alpine resorts.
- Another round of regional travel vouchers.
Google’s annual Google Marketing Live event has showcased some big updates for businesses, including:
- Google Ads Image Extensions are now available globally, helping you add images to existing text ads.
- Target Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) can now be set on Discovery and Video Action campaigns.
- Confirmation of the June 2021 Broad Core Update rollout, impacting content of websites.
- Announcement of a Core Update to be rolled out in July.
A LinkedIn Help page has been updated to announce Dark Mode will soon be available on the professional networking social media platform.
LinkedIn previously tested Dark Mode in 2019, but did not roll out the feature.
It’s good news for those who find the screen variation easier on the eyes or simply enjoy the look.
Earlier this year, Twitter teased that they were working on a new feature called Super Follows. This will allow users to pay for a subscription to a business or individual and have access to exclusive content.
On Sunday, App Researcher, Jane Manchun Wong, tweeted screenshots of Super Follows, showing the public the feature for the first time.You can expect labels for subscribers, content categories, bonus content and more to be released soon.
To be eligible for this account type you will have to have over 10,000 followers, have tweeted 25 tweets in the last 30 days and be over 18.
The WordPress 5.7 update will be available in July 2021, and will allow websites to be sped up allowing optimised image formats.
This inclusion will play an important role in websites complying with Google’s new ranking factors, which will require websites to be as fast as possible to be ranked well on search engines.
Website owners are reminded to keep their websites up to date with the latest versions, or ensure you have it included in your website management.
Businesses in adult services and similar will be pleased to know Google has provided clarification on search engine optimisation best practices for mature content.
Google applies what is known as SafeSearch to any website content they believe is considered mature in nature. To optimise for this, website owners have been recommended to:
- Group adult content video URLs separate to other videos.
- Add correct metadata and markup to adult content pages.
Facebook Co-Founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced a new affiliate product sharing tool is coming to Instagram.
Revealed at the Worldwide Developers Conference held this week, the tool will allow content creators to suggest and share products to their followers. In return, they will earn commissions from the sales generated in response to their posts.
Until 2023, Instagrams new content features will be free for all creators, making it an ideal opportunity for businesses looking to invest in more opportunities with influencer marketing.
Pinterest has announced they have finally made new shopping features available for ‘Pinners’ in Australia.
‘Pinners’ will now be directed to companies websites and shop directly from their saved pins.
Deals and discounts will shortly be available for ‘pinners’ to access in Australia as well.
Facebook is planning to release their first smartwatch next (US) Summer.
The smartwatch will include two cameras that can be detached from the wristband, enabling users to upload footage directly to Facebook and Instagram, as well as for phone and video calls.
While the full features are yet to be revealed, the smartwatch integration with social media may make it easier for business owners on the go to keep their organic social media content fresh with ease.
YouTube have announced users of ‘Shorts’ will now be able to use sample audio from YouTube videos in their content.
The short-form video feature is similar to TikTok, but with this new feature, will connect users to similar YouTube content once finished with the related Short.
For businesses using Shorts on YouTube, you can now make more use of YouTube content, saving time, resources and still attracting those new viewers.
LinkedIn has introduced an advanced app for lead generation called the LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
This feature allows businesses and individuals to more efficiently search for new customers through:
- Several lead search filters.
- Better visibility into extended networks.
- Personalised algorithms.
Users can download the app and subscribe from $64.99 for an individual or $99.99 for a team subscription.
Friday, 11 June 2021: Crucial New Episode of the Help Me Grow My Business Podcast Going Live Today
Search engine optimisation expert Mike Andrew returns with the latest controversial news about the Google Page Experience Update in the new episode of The Help Me Grow My Business Podcast.
The episode, being released today, will tell business owners exactly what they need to know and do to ensure their website doesn’t lose crucial positioning on search engines.
Follow the link in our bio to subscribe to the podcast to be the first to listen and find out the juicy news.