Platforms
Search Engine Land is your source for platform specific news and content. You’ll find a variety of up-to-date and authoritative resources, including the latest news, tactic-rich tutorials, and the latest data to help you work smarter and make better decisions.
What you read here is written by our experienced in-house team, and subject matter experts from leading brands and agencies.
Don’t miss out! Get the Search Engine Land newsletter delivered daily to your inbox. Subscribe for free!
Threads is widely rolling out on the web
Meta has been working on delivering new features to the platform to help improve retention after sessions plummeted.
Meta rolls out new search tool to track branded content campaigns
You can now search branded content in the Meta Ads Library to get deeper insights into your competitor's campaign strategies.
Google is upgrading Vehicle Ads to Performance Max
The upgrade will enable advertisers to connect with customers across more touchpoints in their shopping journey.
X referral traffic falls for publishers like BuzzFeed, Reuters, CNN
X, formerly known as a reliable traffic source, has sent less traffic to large and small publishers over the past five years.
Google will provide more targeted ad data to comply with new EU rules
The search engine is taking steps to ensure it complies with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) or else it may risk a significant financial penalty.
5 things ecommerce advertisers can do with first-party data
Learn five fundamental actions you can take to make the most out of first-party data in your ecommerce ad accounts.
Google sending notifications that UA has stopped processing data
These notifications come almost two months after July 1, the date when Google said UA properties must all migrate to Google Analytics 4.
Bing Chat data may never come to Bing Webmaster Tools
After promising this for months, Microsoft has never released it and now won't offer a comment.
Google Search app could soon introduce a new Notes feature
Feature would let users leave comments about webpages. It is expected to appear as a new Google Labs experiment.
TikTok search ads are here
TikTok has introduced the Search Ads Toggle, which will show your ads among the organic video search results for relevant queries.
Google releases August 2023 broad core update
This is the second Google core update of 2023. The rollout is expected to take up to two weeks to complete.
5 ways to improve PPC lead quality
When quality matters much more than the quantity of leads, use these surefire tips to help catapult your return on ad spend.
YouTube trials smaller ‘Skip Ads’ button
The redesigned, more subtle CTA box features smaller text, a background with reduced opacity, and a curved border.
Google responds to PMax and brand safety concerns
The search engine came under fire after YouTube was accused of improperly tracking children and violating privacy laws.
CTV ad spend hits record-breaking $1 billion in June
Ad intelligence provider Vivvix (Kantar) forecasts continued growth in CTV and other digital platforms like YouTube.
Setting up event parameters in GA4: Everything you need to know
Learn how to set up event parameters in Google Analytics 4 for a deeper understanding of user actions and effective data interpretation.
Amazon Sponsored Product ads will now appear on Pinterest, Buzzfeed, and more
Amazon will enable this feature automatically for advertisers, which could lead to additional visibility and purchases.
Google stops testing links in Search Generative Experience snapshot answers
This test began earlier this month and it seems Google has now paused showing links in these AI-generated answer results.
The new Bing has failed to take any market share from Google after six months
Microsoft disputes the data, which shows Bing's market share is actually lower in 2023 than it was in 2022 – before new Bing launched.
Instagram tests Multi-Advertiser ads, cramming four ads into one screen
Advertisers can choose to opt out of the new Multi-Advertiser ad product.
Brands pause X ad spending after ads serve with pro-Nazi content
A week after X introduced new brand safety measures, ads for at least 19 brands appeared alongside content promoting fascism.
Six ways generative AI can transform your search strategy
The death of the 10 blue links: The revolutionary role of generative AI in search.
X (Twitter) paywalls XPro (TweetDeck)
The move is expected to negatively impact the discoverability of content on X (Twitter).
Google Ads trials enhanced customer service for small businesses
This level of one-on-one support has historically only been offered to Google Ads' biggest clients.
Google Business Profiles to let you manage your social links
While Google showed social media profile links for local listings for a long time, Google Business Profiles may soon let you manage those links.
Google Demand Gen campaigns beta opens, will soon replace Discovery ads
Google Ads will roll out the AI-powered Demand Gen campaigns to all advertisers in October. Historical data will carry over.
Microsoft gives unverified advertisers more time
The company will now just pause ads in a few scenarios until Advertiser Identity Verification is completed.
Google Search Generative Experience adds SGE while browsing
Paywalled content will not work with the new SGE while browsing feature. Google SGE also added definitions and color coding syntax.
X (Twitter) tells advertisers that promoted accounts are over
The platform has advised marketers to explore its other ad products.
How to get Universal Analytics-like insights in Google Analytics 4
GA4 requires you to think differently. Russ Ketchum, product director of Google Analytics, believes that's a good thing.
6 reasons your GA4 reports aren’t adding up
Navigate Google Analytics 4 with insights on metric disparities, UI alterations, data thresholds, and more.
Google Merchant Center adds 3D model link [virtual_model_link] attribute
This attribute helps Google Merchant Center showcase your 3D and AR product images.
Google Ads launches new AI assistant but warns its content may be inaccurate
Those trialling the new tool are encouraged to provide feedback to help the machine learn.
Amazon tests AI-generated review highlights with U.S. mobile shoppers
The AI-generated paragraph mentions product features and customer sentiment, and also highlights tappable product attributes.
Google issues refunds amid accusations it missold ads on third-party websites
The search engine was accused of violating its own advertising standards 80% of the time in a study conducted by Adalytics.
YouTube tests new anti-adblocker popup with countdown timer
The notification now serves as a warning to non-paying viewers about when the next advert will begin to play.
Google Ads to sunset Enhanced CPC on Shopping campaigns
Shopping campaigns using eCPC will behave as though they are using Manual CPC bidding instead later this year.
YouTube enables linking between Shorts and long-form videos
The links will direct viewers away from Shorts, which can't display pre or mid-roll ads, to long-form videos, which support both ad products.
YouTube creators can now include more external links on their channels
Creators can include up to 14 links to external websites, social profiles, merch sites, and more, near the 'Subscribe' button on their channel.
X (Twitter) lowers eligibility threshold for ads revenue sharing program
The changes were announced after X was criticised for failing to pay content creators on time earlier this month.