67: [Ep67/26Jul21] – Google Ad Revenue Grows 69% & Other Digital Marketing Updates from the Week of Jul 26, 2021

[Introduction] – 00:00

Hey, everyone. Welcome back to Episode 67 of the TWIMshow. I’m your host Sajid Islam, and today I’ll be going over the notable news and updates in the digital marketing space from the week of July 26, 2021. And this is going to be a special episode just because we have earnings reports from a lot of the social media platforms this week. With that, let’s jump right in.

[Update 1 – Facebook Launches ‘Campaign Ideas Generator’ to Help US with Our Promotional Efforts] – 00:47

But first, we’re going to talk about Facebook. And Facebook has basically launched a new portal called the Campaigns Idea Generator Portal that are supposed to help us with the promotional effort, right? What Facebook is saying, the campaign ideas generated provides campaign ideas, pre-made assets, resources that are specific. Your small business needs to get started first. Hit to the campaigns ideas Generator website, which is by the way the link is in our show loads and select your business verticals and promotional focus and then from there select your business type. What time of the year you are looking to run a promotion. And by the way not all verticals are listed. Choose the right details and then click get camping ideas on Facebook will provide you with a range of pointers and notes to guide you in the right direction. Now here is my feedback and take on all these things Mr Facebook, Mr Zuckerberg, listen, we are. Not running of ideas on what to run on Facebook. The issue that I see and a lot of the small business owners and small advertisers say is that you keep banning the account. Let me repeat that again, you keep banning the account. That’s the problem, right? You need to fix your algorithm. Like people are out there creating campaigns and your algorithm comes in and bans accounts and flags accounts and penalizes them for whatever reasons, and they have to jump through the hoops to. You know, get the account reinstated or to get things fixed, which you should actually make it a more customer-centric organization. And I hope you if someone tells this to you, we don’t have a problem of we’re running out of things to test, we would like small business owners including myself, we would gladly pay money to. If you’d only allow us to do that, you think the whole world is scammers and then you just block them and you will just allow the big spenders to. You know, advertise on your platform. That’s all. Anyway, with that,

[Update 2 – Facebook Revenue Grows in Q2, but DAUs are shrinking in Europe and the US] – 02:56

Let’s jump right into the revenue from Facebook from Q2 2021 Facebook had an interesting uh, you know, quarter just because We had this challenge with privacy Apple where because of Apple App transparency tracking has really messed up how Facebook tracks users. Despite all those things, Facebook added 30 more million daily active users in Q. To taking it to 1.91 billion on average, that’s in line with Q1 and Facebook continue to add significant more significantly more users in the Asia Pacific region despite a slowdown and even a reversal in other markets. Facebook Daily active user count has stalled in the USA entirely and declining in Q2 last year while, it is now receding in Europe as well. The question is that Does that mean people in Europe and US are gradually moving away from Facebook and looking to other apps instead? Maybe Tiktok maybe clubhouse anyways, but Facebook advertising revenue growth in second quarter 2021 was driven by a 47% year over year increase in the average price of 6% increase in the number of ads delivered similar to the second quarter, we expect that the advertising revenue growth will be driven primarily by year end, year over year, advertising price increases during the rest of 2021. So what does this mean folks to you and us who are small business owners and basically it’s basically means is that the prices of Facebook ads are rising, which is another element to consider. If you thought, you know you are, Facebook is cheap or you thought, you know, you’re gonna advertise on Facebook this upcoming holiday season. Keep that in mind. And also keep that in mind that you know, because the daily active users count as stalling. Facebook is also charging more for us, right? That’s because there is demand on the revenue side. Facebook brought in $29 billion for the quarter. Our new record high for the company. Advertising remains is key revenue driver, bringing in more than 98% of the overall revenue intake, but it is still seeing some steady income developing from other bets. I am not going to cover the other bets such as you know the VR headset, Oculus and things like that because this is a marketing show. But all I want to want to share with you is that. Facebook is increasingly becoming an expensive platform to advertise. It’s no longer the cheap platform. With that, jumping right into Instagram.

[Update 3 – Instagram ‘Reels’ now Allows 60 seconds videos] – 05:37

Instagram is now allowing 60 Seconds videos are previously, you know, Instagram or in started the reels. It did 15 seconds, then it bumped it up to 30 seconds and then recently Tik T.O.K basically bumped it up to 3 minutes. I guess Instagram felt he and then now they’re saying well you know you can do up to 60 seconds. This feature is available for all the users across the board. So go ahead, give it a try and let us know how it goes. Next up, LinkedIn.

[Update 4 – LinkedIn Business Highlights from Microsoft’s FY21 Q4 Earnings] – 06:08

LinkedIn Basically, is a company owned by Microsoft, so Microsoft announced their Q4’21 earnings, which is basically a. A quarter ending on June 21 for the rest of the world, Microsoft has a funny quarter system, so let’s just not go there because I I think the quarter Q4 is basically 21, so they’re only July through June quarter in annual system, right, whereas the rest of the world is on January to December. That’s why it’s Q4 instead of Q2 anyways. That doesn’t matter. What matters is like you linked, his revenue surpassed $10 billion for the first time. This is up 27%. It’s basically a testament to how mission critical the platform has become to help people connect, learn, grow and get higher over the course of the careers. In the last five years since Microsoft acquisition, revenue has nearly tripled and the growth has accelerated. LinkedIn has become a leader across multiple secular growth. Then area spanning B2B advertising, professional hiring, corporate learning and sales intelligence. LinkedIn now has more than 774 million members who are more engaged than ever, including some of the spambots who keep sending me the spam that says, hey, I like to connect with you and then pitching me stuff. But anyway, that’s you know that’s a key issue with every other platform, but LinkedIn seem to have a, you know, a higher share of those things. But where what’s really working, what’s interesting is that LinkedIn has this new program called Creator Manager and they actually happen to reach out to yours truly. I had a chat with them. It’s Friday. Two days ago. ’cause. I’m recording this show on Sunday and it’s absolutely a killer program where they are basically encouraging creators to create more and asking questions like how can we help you to create more? What do you need from us? So I love this whole thing. So folks, All in all, LinkedIn is doing well. I like it. You know, it’s just a platform that’s going to be here around. So go ahead and give it a try. By the way, FYI full disclaimer, I do own stocks in Microsoft just because I feel bullish about this company. So obviously any recommendations I give you about LinkedIn basically kind of you know might be biased but nevertheless. I felt very strongly about Microsoft, about LinkedIn as a result, which I ended up buying stocks and you. Moving on, let’s jump into Pinterest.

[Update 5 – New Ways for Creators to earn money and Partner with brands on Pinterest] – 08:34

A quick update from Pinterest. Pinterest is now allowing creators pinners to make money out of Pinterest by creating ideal pains. So basically what this is gonna happen is like you and I can create idea pins and we can do affiliate lings and then you know when people buy through all links, you know I’m gonna get. Simple as that. I think it’s a brilliant. All from Pinterest because I think Facebook could have done the same thing or any other platforms could have done the same thing but be interested doing this is really thinking you know, ideas, ways to create more user generated content. Because now I’ve I’ve I see that you know I as a creator can make money from affiliates. Then I’m gonna go ahead and create more content and push more. People and try different things and basically end entice more people to stay on the platform. This is a whole new whole new level. So folks are check out Pinterest again FY I disclaimer I also end up ended up creating Pines in Pinterest talks after last quarter’s earnings report and I’m so happy that I invested in this platform. My stocks have done so well. So what this basically means that I feel bullish on this platform as well. OK, with that, let’s move on to Twitter.

[Update 6 – Twitter Announced #TheCreatorSessions] – 09:50

Twitter has announced the creators sessions. It is basically a sessions where they’re going to have special creator case inspirational stories tips. Position and sneak peeks on upcoming future, so it’s gonna run from August 3rd to 4th, so go ahead and share DM add arthaus ARTHOUSE for an invitation to the event and they’re gonna send you invitation if you qualify, but definitely check it out. If not, we will bring you some highlights from this. Event as in when we hear some things, find the updates. There’s from that Twitterland. There’s another thing that Twitter is doing.

[Update 7 – Twitter’s Shop Module pilot adds a product carousel to profiles] – 10:24

Twitter is basically, retesting or started re testing this thing called the Shop Module which is a dedicated section at the top of the profiles with brands can show ’cause their profiles are products as a pilot. The shopping module is currently rolling out with the control of brands in the USA and only people in US who use Twitter in English on iOS device are currently able to see the module. Again. This is just a test, but you know this is what I why I’m sharing this with you is that Twitter is getting very. Ecommerce centric again if you’re following or show you know that I tend to see like in E commerce in the future all these platforms are catering to ecommerce businesses and you know we’ve seen Instagram do the same thing. We’ve seen TikTok do the same thing. Pinterest is doing the same thing now, even allowing creators to create affiliate links, things like that. So what? This all signals is that Twitter is poised to make sure they are, you know, Twitter users can actually. Look at things. Shop for things on the Twitter platform itself and giving us that whole new ecosystem. Anyways, that’s all you need to know with that, let’s jump in to Snapchat.

[Update 8 – Snapchat Launches New ‘Campaign Lab’ to Help Guide Marketers on Best Snap Ads Approaches] – 11:38

Snapchat has launched a new campaign slab to help guide marketers on Best Snapchat. Snap snap ads approaches right? Again, this is just a, you know, users can access campaign left from the analyze section of the Snapchat ads manager navigation menu, which will take you through the main screen. The main window will also display lists of recommendation based on previous tests and was steps to take next week in this self-help kind of things in there. Like you know approach. He’s trying to attract those small business owners who don’t have an agency can again, if you’re spending less than, say, 15 to $20,000 a month, you usually do not have an agency. So then you know you are in this Gray area where you want to spend money, but you know you don’t have spend enough money. So they this platforms are catering to those people where you can find you can get started. Overall, it’s a good thing, but you know, I haven’t tried it. Also, I really cannot tell you how good or bad is, but it’s available starting July 29 to all the Snapchats advertisers. Check it out. If you plan to advertise on Snapchat, I personally do not advertise on Snapchat, so I really cannot talk a whole lot of it, but I feel like, you know, it’s best for. The purpose of the show to, you know, bring it up in front and share the update with you all. That’s why I’m here. It’s here, OK? With that Next up, we have an update from Microsoft Bing.

[Update 9 – Microsoft Bing Ad Revenue Grows 73%] – 12:59

As you know, we have already covered the you know earnings report of LinkedIn because Microsoft announced their earnings report and LinkedIn was a part of the company and being which is the search engine for Microsoft. Obviously their earnings report was also in the you know. Earnings report from Microsoft and what but Microsoft reported a 53% increase year over year. for Microsoft Bing with an increase in 737 million in his search advertising business now. What I’m why I’m bringing up all these numbers is not folks not to impress you, but to express to you that you know. This is a platform that’s growing, so if you think he might, traffic is only on Google and my traffic is only on Facebook and when we I already covered like cost of traffic on Facebook is going up right. Google is we already know is expensive. Maybe Microsoft is a platform that we should look into, right? That’s what I’m just saying. But that’s why I’m bringing it up. I mean, honest. Why would I be covering all these things? I’m covering all these things to tell you, give you the insights that you know. Maybe there are other opportunities that we are overlooking and that we should probably be looking into. That’s all there is, right. But other than that, there’s nothing really to talk about that.

[Update 10 – Google Ad Revenue Grows 69%] – 14:19

Let’s jump into the next one, which is. Ad revenue from Google. Yes, Google also allows the earnings which is basically parent company Alphabet. But Google has reported a 69% increase year over year from 29.8. Million to $50.4 billion. this past quarter. That’s like 50 billion with a B folks. That’s a massive amount like you and I would probably be sitting here and saying why Google is expensive. We don’t wanna spend on it. There are people out there who are killing it and crushing it. I do not know if you’re not on Google, what you’re doing please. Jungle. Now, whether it’s Google search, Google Display campaigns, YouTube ads, discovery campaigns, whatever it is, any shipment from Google owns kind of the Internet for now, until Facebook texts over or someone else takes over, you are gonna be crazy not to advertise on Google Now, I don’t say this because, you know, we do Google advertisement, but we know this. It’s not a fact. As a result, we ended up with Google anyways. Other than that, what else can I report? Alphabet revenue of 69 or $61.9 billion. So imagine Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has reported earnings of 61.9, which is like $62 billion out of which is 54% from Google advertising, so imagine how much of the revenue is generated from advertising and the rest of his probably Google Cloud based services, Google Drive, things like that.

[Closing] – 15:51

With that, folks, that is all you need to know for this week. If you’d like to read more, please make sure you visit our show page, where you’ll find the links to the articles. Once again, this is your host Sajid Islam signing off until next week. Take care. Bye-bye.

Thank you for tuning in this week. It was a pleasure to serve you all. Hit the subscribe button so that you remember to sign on next week. Same place, same time for another round of This Week In Marketing.