This Week’s Industry News
Compiled by the Rocket Clicks Team
Top Stories
Google Adds Forecasting and Trend Data to Keyword Planner
Advertisers can now get forecasts for their existing keywords and campaigns in Keyword Planner. Make your keyword and campaign selections, and the tool will give you performance forecasting and search volume trends. Use the performance forecast screen to see how changes in bids could affect performance, and use the search volume trends screen to see overall average monthly searchers as well as search volume trends broken out by device and location. Additionally, use the improved keyword planner to see the forecasted impact of adding new keywords to your campaigns. Source: Search Engine Land
Google Reveals Pretty Lax Rules for HTTPS Ranking Boost
Over two years ago, Google announced the HTTPS ranking boost. This meant that any website with a working SSL certificate would have a slight advantage against its competitors in the search results. Now, however, Google’s Gary Illyes is on the record saying that the validity of the SSL certificate doesn’t come into play. So, the only real criteria for getting this ranking boost is whether the URL starts with HTTPS. Source: Search Engine Land
Google Launches Affiliate Location Ad Extensions
Manufacturers that sell their goods in retail chains can now promote those locations to nearby consumers within their AdWords ads. With “near me” searches continuing to increase on mobile, this new ad extension offers searches an in-ad where-to-buy option. Advertisers can select the chain retailers that sell their products from a list in the extension setup. US advertisers will start to see affiliate location extensions in their accounts over the next couple of weeks. Source: Search Engine Land
“Write a Review” Button Shows Google’s Continued Emphasis on Reviews
It’s no secret that Google has been putting a lot of time and energy into reviews for local businesses over the last year or so. And, since the dawn of the local knowledge panel, users would have to expand the panel in order to view or write reviews. Now, SEOs have spotted an apparent test that involves the addition of a “Write a Review” button above the company’s address in the unexpanded version of the knowledge panel. Source: The SEM Post
Additional Commentary
SEO Is Not Dead; It’s Just a Shape-Shifter
In this look at the current state of SEO, guest author Stephan Spencer addresses the ever-growing sentiment that SEO is dead or at least dying. Instead of arguing that SEO as a whole isn’t dead, Spencer proposes that with the introduction of machine learning and semantic search “traditional” SEO is dead. He concludes that “once you have done the technical due diligence to make your site Google-friendly, you need to put on your marketer’s hat and give up the old school SEO ‘tactics’ that used to work but don’t anymore.” Source: Stephan Spencer, Search Engine Land
Top Holiday PPC Tips from Industry Experts
- Understanding feed-based advertising like image search and local ad units will allow you to focus on your shopping feeds now and reap the rewards come holiday season. – Mona Eleseily: Page Zero Media
- Since shoppers are researching early and buying quick once the holidays approach, it would benefit PPC analysts to build remarketing lists early to introduce searches to the brand and products so when the holidays approach you can leverage those remarketing lists and raise bid adjustments. – Brad Geddes: adAlysis
- Employing omni-channel advertising will allow you to create awareness and excitement across social media channels to assist your search shopping ads. – JD Prater: Hanapin Marketing
- Don’t forget about B2B. Many B2B prospects often use the slower holiday time to research new solutions and large purchases they intend to make in the new year. – Melissa Mackey: Gyro
- Since gift givers typically require more research and take longer to purchase than your typical customer buying for themselves, managing your remarketing audiences becomes increasingly important throughout Q4. – Mark Irvine: WordStream
- Prepare your accounts with a logical structure. Campaign structure ensures advertisers can respond quickly to changing seasonal patterns, device types and demographics. – Andrew Goodman: Page Zero Media
- Use all possible ad extensions to “holiday-ize” your ad copy with seasonal tie-ins and special sales. – David Szetela: FMB Media
Source: Frances Donegan-Ryan, BingAds