Sheba: #4AMStories

To kick-off National Cat Day, SHEBA launched their #4AMStories campaign in solidarity with cat owners everywhere who know what it’s like to get woken up in the early morning hours by their feline friends. All cat parents have to cope with that 4AM feline alarm clock at some point, but what they might not know is that cats are crepuscular creatures and are more active in the evening and nighttime hours. It’s their instinctual urge to wake their owners up by hunting, playing and feeding in the middle of the night. All they really need is some SHEBA to satisfy those nocturnal cravings. SHEBA wants to connect with cat owners in this moment of need and provide them with The SHEBA Presents the 4am Stories Podcast, which is hosted by Spotify, to help owners drift gently back to sleep thanks to a story performed by Doctor Dillon, AKA folk musician Steve Dan Mills. The brand is running ads at 4 a.m. on Instagram and Facebook that encourage cat owners to share their own #4AMStories for a chance to win free SHEBA. The campaign will be supported by featured content on SHEBA.com, organic and paid social content from the brand’s Instagram channel, custom content from cat influencers, a BuzzFeed homepage takeover and SHEBA-branded Instagram GIFs. Cat owners can share their #4AMStories on Instagram now through November 19. Winners will be announced in late November. https://www.sheba.com/lifestyle/details/how-to-convince-your-cat-to-le...
https://j.mp/2HJfhp2

Artgrid / Artlist: Get the most extraordinary shots in the Universe

"What if they had Artgrid stock footage in the moon landing," tells a fictional scenario in which Stanley Kubrick used stock footage to fake the moon landing.
https://j.mp/3mFYOAB

Stadia Savepoint: October updates

It’s time for another update to our Stadia Savepoint series, recapping the new games, features, and changes for Stadia in October. This month we celebrated some Good Stuff on Stadia, teaming up with YouTube Creators Lamarr Wilson and LaurenZside who revealed free and exclusive week-long demos for PAC-MAN™ Mega Tunnel Battle and Immortals Fenyx Rising, plus an OpenDev Beta for HUMANKIND. We can’t wait for these amazing games to launch on Stadia, starting with PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle on November 17. Over three days we also revealed new games and content coming to Stadia including the Drastic Steps expansion for Orcs Must Die! 3 (Nov. 6), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Nov. 24), ARK: Survival Evolved (early 2021), Hello Engineer (2021), Young Souls (2021), and Phoenix Point (2021). NEW Games on Stadia + Three FREE Demos | Official Recap Throughout October, players explored a Dungeons & Dragons adventure in Baldur’s Gate 3 Early Access, fought against a surveillance state in Watch Dogs: Legion, and carved their path to vengeance in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. All of these games, plus many others that arrived this month, are now available for purchase on the Stadia store. For players that are subscribed to Stadia Pro, they received instant access to a library of 29 games in October, with even more available on November 1. Crowd Choice now available Crowd Choice, available in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dead by Daylight, changes how games unfold when live streaming on YouTube. Viewers have the power to vote on decisions made by the player in each game. Play Stadia with mobile data Mobile data gameplay has graduated from Experiments and is now a fully supported feature on Stadia to play games using 4G and 5G. Data usage may use up to 2.7GB/hr. Gameplay is service-, network-, and connection-dependent, and this feature may not be available in all areas. Referral rewards for friends and family Refer someone for a free trial of Stadia Pro and they’ll get an extra free month of games. Plus, if they subscribe after their trial is up, you’ll get an extra free month of Stadia Pro as well. Terms apply. Push notifications on mobile Receive notifications in the Stadia app on Android and iOS devices about Stadia Pro games, incoming friend requests, and more. Stadia Pro updates * Claim six new games for free with Stadia Pro in November: Sniper Elite 4, Risk of Rain 2, The Gardens Between, Hello Neighbor: Hide & Seek, République, and Sundered: Eldritch Edition. * Twenty-nine existing games are still available to add to your Stadia Pro collection: Destiny 2: The Collection, PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, SteamWorld Dig, SteamWorld Dig 2, SteamWorld Heist, GYLT, Little Nightmares, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, SUPERHOT, Panzer Dragoon Remake, Crayta, West of Loathing, Orcs Must Die! 3, Strange Brigade, Just Shapes & Beats, Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break, Super Bomberman R Online, Gunsport, Hitman, Hello Neighbor, Metro: Last Light Redux, Embr Early Access, Dead by Daylight, Human Fall Flat, SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE, Lara Croft: Temple of Osiris, Celeste, and Jotun: Valhalla Edition. * Act quickly: It’s your last chance to add Just Shapes & Beats, Metro Last Light Redux, Strange Brigade, and West of Loathing to your Stadia Pro collection before November 1. * There are still ongoing discounts for both Stadia Pro subscribers and all players - check out the web or mobile Stadia store for the latest. October content launches on Stadia * Baldur’s Gate 3 Early Access * Cake Bash * Crayta - Dark Circus * Dead by Daylight * HUMANKIND OpenDev Beta * Human: Fall Flat * Immortals Fenyx Rising Demo * PAC-MAN™ Mega Tunnel Battle Demo * PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS - Season 9 * Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice * Watch Dogs: Legion New games coming to Stadia announced this month * ARK: Survival Evolved * Assassin’s Creed Origins * Assassin’s Creed Syndicate * Assassin’s Creed Unity * Far Cry New Dawn * Far Cry 5 * HUMANKIND * Hello Engineer * Orcs Must Die! 3 - Drastic Steps * PAC-MAN™ Mega Tunnel Battle * Phoenix Point * Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon® Wildlands * Young Souls * Watch Dogs * Watch Dogs 2 That’s all for October—we’ll be back soon to share more updates. As always, stay tuned to the Stadia Community Blog, Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.
https://j.mp/35RS5fY

Helping Australian teens hone media literacy skills

On April 28, 1996 at the historical Port Arthur site in Tasmania, 35 people were tragically killed. Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged six and three, along with their mother, died that day. Because of this terrible act of violence, Alannah and Madeline's father, Walter Mikac AM, and a small group of volunteers, created the Alannah & Madeline Foundation with the belief that all children should have a safe and happy childhood. For more than 20 years, the Alannah & Madeline Foundation has worked to safeguard every child’s basic right to live free from violence and serves as a beacon of hope for a better, safer world.  As the dangers children face today become increasingly complex, the Foundation is adapting and responding to modern challenges. To help young people become less susceptible to online harms like disinformation and hate speech, the organization is focusing on helping teens better understand their relationships with media. In Australia, as in the rest of the world, it’s more crucial than ever to help young people distinguish fact from fiction online. Research by Queensland University of Technology and Western Sydney University shows that many teenagers regularly consume news media, but their trust in the stories provided by news organizations has fallen significantly since 2017. More than half of young Australians pay little or no attention to the source of news stories found online, and only one third agree that they can tell “fake news” from real news. Teachers believe it's important to teach media literacy, but many feel constrained by barriers like a strict curriculum and a lack of confidence about the topic.  With support from Google.org, the Foundation set its sights on tackling this issue and worked with an advisory group of academics, industry experts and educators to develop Media Literacy Lab, a first-of-its-kind education resource for teachers and students aged 12-16. This e-learning platform helps Australia’s youth become media-savvy digital citizens, questioning what they see, practicing smart and safe online behaviors and seeking help when needed. A video from the foundation announcing their media literacy lab. The Lab aims to both increase the media literacy of young Australians and support teachers to build their confidence in teaching the subject. Media Literacy Lab has two portals: one for teachers to administer the Lab and engage in professional learning, and one for students to experience narrative-based learning. In the Teacher Portal, educators can easily facilitate lessons, access resources and view real-time student reports. Media Literacy Lab’s gamified learning modules, including new and carefully curated content from our partners, sit in the Student Portal. Media Literacy Lab empowers students to strengthen their ethical understanding and critical thinking skills, crucial to navigate and thrive in today’s digital ecosystem.   In its first month, we saw almost 200 Australian schools register, with nearly 270 educators facilitating the Lab and more than 100 users from other non-school settings like libraries and universities—a huge achievement amid a global pandemic.  As we shifted to remote work in March as a result of COVID-19, we increasingly used Google for Nonprofits tools for organization and collaboration. Google Drive ensures our documents are protected, creating an easy way to invite the right people to contribute during product development. We simultaneously used Google Docs and Sheets for project management and content design documentation. The ability to collaboratively work with Google products was useful to keep project momentum.  The Foundation recently extended the period to register and use Media Literacy Lab free-of-charge until the end of 2021. Next year, we will deliver a national series of professional learning events for teachers with expert guests and hold student workshops in critical media production. We will continue to support national media literacy research, partnerships, advocacy campaigns and policy development. With additional funding, we also plan to build new modules for upper primary students. Media Literacy Lab forms part of the Foundation’s crucial work in transforming how society thinks about–and responds to–the barriers to every child’s basic right to safety. We believe explicitly teaching young people media literacy can lead to strengthened digital civic engagement and contribute to safer civil discourse, benefiting children across Australia. 
https://j.mp/3jGExZZ

CallRail’s Lead Center is a virtual phone system and contact center for SMBs

It’s designed for small companies with between 3 and 20 employees. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/3e5xt7W

More online protection with the new VPN by Google One

We’ve all done it. You’re sitting in a cafe browsing your favorite online store and you enter your credit card number while connected to an unsecured Wi-Fi network. While convenient, a public Wi-Fi network may be less secure than your personal one. This can put your personal information at risk of theft from hackers. To give you peace of mind that your data is safe, we’re announcing the new VPN by Google One on our 2 TB and higher plans to provide an extra layer of online protection for your Android phone.  We already build advanced security into all our products, and the VPN extends that security to encrypt all of your phone’s online traffic, no matter what app or browser you’re using. The VPN is built into the Google One app, so with just one tap, you can rest assured knowing your connection is safe from hackers. We’re also now rolling out Pro Sessions by Google One with VPN support. With Pro Sessions, you can schedule one-on-one online sessions with a Google expert to learn more about VPNs and how to stay safer online. You’ll get access to the VPN and Pro Sessions in addition to the 2 TB of storage and other member benefits you already get with the plan, like 10 percent back in store credit on all Google Store device purchases. Plus, if you’ve shared your 2 TB Google One plan with family members (up to five additional people), they can also enable the VPN on their own devices at no extra cost. These are just a few more ways that a Google One membership helps you get the most out of Google with more peace of mind and helpful experiences. Google Store rewards give you Store credit on hardware purchases from the Google Store. This is only available in U.S., Canada, Australia, Germany and United Kingdom. One thing to note on Pro Sessions: there are limited appointments available on a first come, first served basis. The VPN by Google One will roll out in the United States in the coming weeks through the Google One app (Android only) and will expand to more countries and to iOS, Windows and Mac in the coming months. Pro Sessions will also be available in the coming weeks to all 2 TB members in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. If you’re not already a member, you can sign up for a 2 TB Google One plan here.
https://j.mp/2JbEkRK

Google Ads Report Editor gets a new look

The Custom report builder will feel a bit more like Data Studio. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/3e6xZSY

Could Google passage indexing be leveraging BERT?

How Google leverages BERT depends on the use of the term ‘Passage Indexing’ (although it’s identified as a ranking update). Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/2TxOE8L

Does the Google antitrust case make an Apple search engine more likely?

The DOJ may cause Apple to accelerate plans for its own engine. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/37Pyccf

Exploring AI for radiotherapy planning with Mayo Clinic

More than 18 million new cancer cases are diagnosed globally each year, and radiotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatments—used to treat over halfof cancers in the United States. But planning for a course of radiotherapy treatment is often a time-consuming and manual process for clinicians. The most labor-intensive step in planning is a technique called “contouring” which involves segmenting both the areas of cancer and nearby healthy tissues that are susceptible to radiation damage during treatment. Clinicians have to painstakingly draw lines around sensitive organs on scans—a time-intensive process that can take up to seven hours for a single patient. Technology has the potential to augment the work of doctors and other care providers, like the specialists who plan radiotherapy treatment. We’re collaborating with Mayo Clinic on research to develop an AI system that can support physicians, help reduce treatment planning time and improve the efficiency of radiotherapy. In this research partnership, Mayo Clinic and Google Health will work to develop an algorithm to assist clinicians in contouring healthy tissue and organs from tumors, and conduct research to better understand how this technology could be deployed effectively in clinical practice.  Mayo Clinic is an international center of excellence for cancer treatment with world-renowned radiation oncologists. Google researchers have studied how AI can potentially be used to augment other areas of healthcare—from mammographies to the early deployment of an AI system that detects diabetic retinopathy using eye scans.  In a previous collaboration with University College London Hospitals, Google researchers demonstrated how an AI system could analyze and segment medical scans of patients with head and neck cancer— similar to how expert clinicians would. Our research with Mayo Clinic will also focus on head and neck cancers, which are particularly challenging areas to contour, given the many delicate structures that sit close together.  In this first phase of research with Mayo Clinic, we hope to develop and validate a model as well as study how an AI system could be deployed in practice. The technology will not be used in a clinical setting and algorithms will be developed using only de-identified data. While cancer rates continue to rise, the shortage of radiotherapy experts continues to grow as well. Waiting for a radiotherapy treatment plan can be an agonizing experience for cancer patients, and we hope this research will eventually support a faster planning process and potentially help patients to access treatment sooner.
https://j.mp/35HbQXR

Online holiday sales could reach $200 billion according to Adobe

Smartphones will drive the majority of online retail traffic and 42% of sales. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/3owLgJD

Microsoft Clarity, the company’s tool for visualizing user experience, is out of beta

The tool provides site owners with visual heatmaps, session playbacks, filters and metrics to help them improve their user experience. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/35EO5zD

Investing in the next generation of NY tech talent

New York City is my home. I’m a proud graduate and parent of three children in the New York City public school system, and I chose to stay and build my career here. Twelve years ago, after a career on Wall Street, I joined Google and currently serve as Chief Information Officer (CIO) and co-site lead for Google’s growing New York campus. Like me, Google has been fortunate to call New York home and is committed to connecting students, teachers and job seekers to the local tech economy.  Today, as part of Google’s commitment to the continued growth of our city’s current and future tech workforce, Google.org is announcing $3.5 million in grants to three local organizations: Pursuit, ExpandEd Schools and CS4All.  Supporting organizations like these is especially important as the COVID-19 pandemic has unearthed unsettling truths about equity and access to resources, especially in underserved communities of color. As we navigate the short and long term effects of the pandemic, we must come together to create equitable solutions that meet the needs of the moment and provide a strong foundation for the future. This starts by making sure every New Yorker has access to a quality education and the training and resources needed for in-demand jobs—these grantees are working to make this possible.  Pursuit: Connecting New Yorkers to careers in tech  Pursuit creates economic opportunity for adults from low-income communities by training them to code and build careers in technology. Their fellows come from groups that are historically underrepresented in tech and are made up of majority Black or Latino people, women, immigrants and those without Bachelor’s degrees. Upon completing the fellowship, they go on to work at top tech companies, increasing their salaries from $18,000 to $85,000 on average. With $2 million in funding from Google.org, Pursuit will build on its work to remove systemic barriers preventing low-income communities from accessing careers in technology and connect 10,000 New Yorkers with jobs in the tech industry.    ExpandEd Schools: Supporting after-school educators   ExpandEdsupports a strong after-school system that enables students to thrive and educators to grow. Google.org's $1 million investment in ExpandED Pathways Fellowship Computer Science (CS) track will empower aspiring teachers of color from underserved communities to fulfill their professional goals through a 10-month after-school teaching practicum. Ultimately, this will help increase the number of diverse CS educators in New York City and nationwide. CS4All: Sustaining Computer Science education in public schools Computer Science for All (CS4All) began in 2015 as an innovative public-private partnership with the NYC Department of Education to train 5,000 teachers and bring equitable CS education to all 1.1 million public school students in NYC by 2025. As the program hits its halfway point, Google.org is providing $500,000 to fund their CS Leads program facilitated by the Fund for Public Schools. This will help provide more than 200 teachers with a comprehensive leadership training program focused on equity in CS education, peer coaching and in-school leadership. The creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of New Yorkers is one of the reasons Google calls this city home. And I’m proud that the work we do helps nurture that spirit. Whether it’s standing alongside 26 CEOs from the largest employers in New York to launch the New York Jobs CEO Council with the goal of hiring 100,000 traditionally underserved New Yorkers by 2030, committing to additional hiring efforts focused on Black+ talent in NY or developing alternative pathways into the workforce, we believe tech should be for everyone and we’re committed to making that a reality. 
https://j.mp/35NrjFU

How we’re crushing malware on Android Enterprise devices

October is the time when ghosts do their best haunting. Yet there are other unwelcome guests who cause havoc year-round, trying to sneak into your company phone and make real-world mischief. Malware and other threats are always on the mind of mobile security professionals, which is why the issue gets special attention every October for Cybersecurity Awareness Month. While malware is something to guard against for all smartphone users, enterprises must be especially mindful of protecting sensitive corporate data. It’s why Android ships with strong protections enabled through Google security services, with anti-phishing features coming from Google Safe Browsing and anti-malware features like Google Play Protect continuously monitoring for malware and removing any if discovered. With so much work taking place on mobile devices, built-in security features are essential. We are committed to providing transparency into our efforts to reduce Potentially Harmful Application (PHA) rates on devices and in Google Play. Recently, we specifically analyzed Android Enterprise devices to gauge how our enterprise devices fare when they use Google Security Services and Android Enterprise as their sole anti-malware solution. We were pleased to find only .003 percent of devices with any active PHAs. That’s less likely than being hit by a comet or asteroid in the United States! How our security services deliver for enterprises We’ve been able to keep the PHA rate on enterprise devices very low by combining built-in malware defense with management APIs so admins have the controls they need to minimize threats to their device fleets.  Google Play Protect scans over 100 billion apps billion apps and every, finding PHAs in real-time, notifying users of potential threats and removing them if necessary. Google Play Protect also works even if the device is offline and users can always perform a manual scan. With machine learning and human analysis, we work to prevent the spread and impact of malicious apps. Android Enterprise admins further tighten controls with managed Google Play. By using blocklist and allowlist they can control exactly which apps are allowed on devices, closing another potential opening for malware.  Admins can take other proactive steps such as forcing devices to install operating system updates and disabling the ability to install applications from unknown sources. EMM partners can leverage our APIs to implement security compliance into their mobility offerings. The SafetyNet Verify Apps API, for example, taps into our malware intelligence to help detect if any malware resides on the device. The integration of our security services and Android Enterprise management tools give our partners and customers the security they need for today’s threats. We’re pleased to see such positive results from these efforts and tangible evidence of how Android Enterprise management paired with our security services help provide comprehensive device protection.  Learn more about Android Enterprise security and how to take advantage of these essential security services.
https://j.mp/34yLasL

What passage indexing and natural language processing mean for the future of SEO

Google’s recent updates provide SEOs with more freedom to focus on users instead of bots. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/34v0NS1

An update on our efforts to help Americans navigate COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges and emphasized how important it is for each of us to do our part to help find solutions. I’m sharing an update here on how Google is contributing to keep people safe and helping to get American businesses back up and running. Contributing to economic recovery efforts As I’ve written earlier, to help small businesses gain easier access to badly-needed capital, we founded the $170 million Grow with Google Small Business Fund alongside $10 million in Google.org grants, with an aim to help the most underserved small businesses, particularly those owned by women and minorities. In collaboration with Opportunity Finance Network, more than $53 million dollars of loans and Google.org grants have been allocated to community partners who are focused on serving rural, women, Black, Latino and Native borrowers, which helps American communities start to get back on their feet. Tires by Papi and Bailiwick Clothing Company are two such examples. Of course, our greatest contribution continues to be developing products to help people stay informed, adapt and get through this pandemic.  According to the Connected Commerce Council, nearly one in three small business owners report that without digital tools they would close all or parts of their business. To help small businesses, we rolled out many new, free product features earlier this year, so that they can inform their customers about things like takeout, delivery, no-contact delivery, or curbside pickup. Today, people can now find this information on Search and Maps for more than 2 million restaurants and retailers in the U.S. We’ve used Google’s Duplex technology to make calls to businesses and confirm things like temporary closures. This has enabled us to make 3 million updates to business information globally, which have been seen by people over 20 billion times in Search and Maps.  To help people searching for jobs, we have stepped up to help in many ways. We added new relevant features in the U.S. like showing jobs that can be done remotely. Google Cloud has partnered with different states to help jobseekers: we assisted Rhode Island’s Virtual Career Center, a new platform that  connects thousands of jobseekers with jobs and employment services; worked with the State of Illinois to develop a 24/7 Virtual Intelligent Agent on the IDES website; developed a chatbot, in partnership with the New Jersey Office of Innovation to provide real-time answers to the 20 most popular unemployment questions. These are just some of the examples.  We also transformed our free Grow with Google training to virtual formats and have already trained more than 1 million Americans on digital skills this year. The Google IT Support Professional Certificate—which takes beginner learners to entry-level jobs ready in under six months—has become the most popular certificate on Coursera during COVID-19. Providing trusted information Questions related to the pandemic are more searched than sports or music (and even elections) in every state.  Top coronavirus related searches in the U.S. this month: * Coronavirus symptoms * Coronavirus update * Coronavirus vaccine Across the U.S. people are searching on Google to stay informed and adapt. In 47 states, the top coronavirus-related question during the last six months has been “How many cases of coronavirus in [my state].” Search interest for “online courses” reached an all-time high in April this year, as did searches for “unemployment,”compared to search trends over the last 15 years.  During this time, we’ve also seen people seek out information to help them navigate their daily lives. For example, since the pandemic began, searches for “curbside pickup” have increased 13-fold compared to this time last year, while searches for “contact tracing” spiked 1,000 percent  in April and then reached an all-time high in May.  In March, we launched Search Knowledge Panels so when people search for information related to COVID-19, they immediately see local guidance, information about symptoms, prevention and treatments. We’ve committed $250 million in Ad Grants to help government agencies provide critical information related to COVID-19. As of today we’ve served more than 100 million PSAs from local public health agencies, which have been seen by tens of millions of people across the U.S. We also launched the Journalism Emergency Relief Fund to provide emergency funding for small and medium sized news organizations covering the pandemic. To date, we’ve distributed $9 million to U.S. newsrooms across all 50 states.  Helping people make safe choices  To help people make informed decisions about where to go, the COVID layer in Google Maps shows critical information about new cases in an area and how they’re trending. As of this month, our COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, which are used by public health agencies and researchers around the globe, have been downloaded more than 16 million times.  In May, we partnered with Apple to launch the Exposure Notifications System (ENS) and made it available to public health authorities around the world in their fight against COVID-19. Designed specifically and carefully to protect users’ privacy while helping public health authorities and governments manage countries’ re-opening, today 13 states and U.S. territories have built apps based on this ENS technology. In a short time, COVID-19 has changed how people live their lives. We’ll continue to update our products and roll out initiatives to help people and American businesses find trusted information, adapt and manage economic uncertainty.  
https://j.mp/3oyTvVx

Shepard Fairey / Obey Giant: Voting Rights are Human Rights

Shepard Fairey is an artist renowned for his famous “Hope” image of Barack Obama as well as the artwork on the current cover of Time magazine. Mr. Fairey has been equally active in Milwaukee, WI, where this month, along with local artists and the support of Wallpapered City, he painted a large voting rights mural on the Colby Abbot Building, located on Milwaukee St. The mural reads, “Voting Rights are Human Rights” and spans 7,400 square feet of wall space. Hanson Dodge, a Milwaukee-based independent advertising agency with deep ties to the community, documented the making of this mural. The project promotes unity, equity and creativity in Milwaukee. Fairey and his Obey Giant team worked with four Wisconsin artists -- Tyanna Buie, Niki Johnson, Tom Jones and Claudio Martinez -- along with Dyani White Hawk of Minnesota. In addition to Wallpapered City, local support was provided by Patti Keating-Kahn, Black Box Fund MKE, The Pfister and the Milwaukee Bucks. The mural is believed to be such a powerful expression that VISIT Milwaukee, which markets the Greater Milwaukee area, has added the "Voting Rights" mural to its list of many reasons to “Visit Milwaukee.”
https://j.mp/35Gz53Y

Logical Position helps clients succeed during the holiday season

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed eCommerce traffic to record levels. As more consumers elect to forgo crowded stores and do most of their shopping online, according to at least one survey, experts predict unprecedented eCommerce growth this holiday season. Logical Position is a digital marketing agency headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and we are proud to be recognized as Microsoft Advertising 2019 Global Channel Partner of the Year. As we head into the 2020 holiday shopping season, Logical Position is working to help our clients create successful shopping campaigns by integrating Microsoft Advertising Shopping Campaigns into their digital marketing strategies. Effective results in three quick steps Many companies already use shopping ads to drive high-quality traffic to their product pages on their website. Microsoft Advertising Shopping Campaigns work the same way by targeting high quality traffic on the Microsoft Search Network. With one out of every three desktop searches happening on the Microsoft network, companies that don’t take advantage of these powerful tools leave money on the table. The Logical Position in-house paid search teams get our clients started on the network with three quick steps. Step 1: Set up Universal Event Tracking (UET) These tags allow users to monitor website conversions. It’s critical to install these tags and verify that they are working correctly well in advance of the holiday season. Read our UET guide here. Step 2: Create the Microsoft Merchant Center and import product feed The Microsoft Merchant Center is the hub for Microsoft Shopping Campaigns. Within the Merchant Center, sellers create a data feed containing the relevant information for all the products they feature online. If a seller already uses Google Shopping, they can import their existing data feed directly into the Microsoft Merchant Center. Step 3: Duplicate existing campaigns with the Google Import tool Sellers don’t have to reinvent the wheel on Microsoft Advertising Shopping Campaigns. Logical Position uses the Google Import tool to import existing campaigns and ad groups directly into their client’s Microsoft Advertising account. After completing this step, sellers are ready to market their products to buyers on the Microsoft Search Network. Whenever possible, Logical Position account managers utilize the Promotions feature to convey sales to potential customers. This tag calls attention to a price drop, bundle, or special offer like free shipping which helps products stand out against competitors. Use every tool available With so much uncertainty in the market, many sellers are counting on this year’s holiday season to carry them into the new year. At Logical Position, we’ve found that businesses who utilize Microsoft Advertising Shopping Campaigns are able to take advantage of a host of tools designed to optimize campaigns, bring in desired profit, and see an immediate boost of relevant traffic to product pages. That’s why we always recommend Shopping Campaigns to help our clients thrive in a challenging environment and give them the competitive edge they’ll need to succeed. About the author: Cameron Marsella is an enterprise search team lead at Logical Position, an Inc. 500 company headquartered in Oregon with offices nationwide. The agency offers full-service PPC management, paid social management, SEO, and website design solutions for businesses large and small, and was ranked as the third best place to work in America by Inc. Magazine.
https://j.mp/3oqunAd

Holiday 2020 is do or die for many SMBs

Small businesses need to focus their marketing on key consumer sites, especially Google, for survival into 2021. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/34vpMow

Video: Mike Blumenthal on review attribution in local search

Reviews can be used for a way to speak to your customers and as a competitive intelligence tool. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/31KvDo2

Nike: You can't stop our voice

https://j.mp/31KTm7D

Virtual Bootcamp Series – Next Sessions

If you missed the previous virtual bootcamps, you can catch up on demand here:  Shopping Special part 1 | Shopping Special part 2 | Microsoft Audience Network  Search Partner Network | Automated Bidding More topics have now been added and each session will be delivered by Microsoft Advertising gurus in one-hour interactive LIVE learning experiences.    Dynamic & Responsive Search Ads This session focuses on improving your performance by leveraging the power of automation for your creatives with Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) and Responsive Search Ads (RSA). Tune in for an exciting announcement about an upcoming beta that’ll allow you to import and manage mixed campaigns with search and DSA.  November 04 - REGISTER HERE   Optimise your Audience Strategies  Learn how to set up your campaigns for success by leveraging strategies shared by your peers to improve your audiences performance.    November 18 - REGISTER HERE   Competitive Intelligence  Discover how your competitors can help improve your return on ad spend (ROAS) by building more effective ad and campaign strategies.   December 02 - REGISTER HERE   A large choice of webinars available  Select your preferred session today and bookmark them in your calendar: .  All sessions -  REGISTER HERE To become a Microsoft Advertising certified professional, we are thrilled to share with you Microsoft Advertising Learning Lab. Make sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up with the latest Microsoft Advertising news and insights.  
https://j.mp/3mkMeXk

Humanaut: Humanaut Brand Roast

Humanaut is known for creating humorous campaigns for clients that lampoon the serious tone of classic ad tropes such as public-service announcements. Its latest spot is a direct appeal to brands in which Founder/Chief Creative Director David Littlejohn uses this parody approach to announce the agency’s latest service offering: brand roasts. “An authentic brand is one that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” Littlejohn notes. As he begins his plea to brand managers, he then tells how Humanaut is bringing honesty to a whole new level. “The comedy roast once reserved for celebrities is now available for your brand.” But it is no joke—it’s an actual service designed as a win-win for brands seeking brutally honest consumer insights and comedians who are suffering greatly as live venues have closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Humanaut is working with a pool of NYC standup comics who will mercilessly roast each brand. The agency will then create a sizzle video of the best material to share with the client and turn the comedians’ sick burns and insults into actionable marketing insights. The cost is $15,000.
https://j.mp/3dWERlN

Sojourner Family Peace Center: Until She Can

99_sojourner_01.jpg   99_sojourner_02.jpg   99_sojourner_03.jpg   99_sojourner_04.jpg   99_sojourner_05.jpg  
https://j.mp/37GfsMo

Pernod Ricard: #EngageResponsibly

#EngageResponsibly is not just a follow up response to the Facebook boycott, but an entirely new, large scale program that has the endorsement and participation of the advertising industry through GARM and the ANA and the support of Salesforce and WPP. Social media platforms are an indispensable tool in modern marketing, yet hate speech has made the platform a reputation hazard for brands. #EngageResponsibly is intended to let advertisers safely continue to use social media by giving consumers, brands and platforms the tools to take tangible actions against hate speech online. This includes: · A uniform reporting system for consumers to report hate speech within each social platform · An Anti-Hate Certification program for brands to actively address issues · Special programs for small- and medium-sized businesses This ambitious program will create a path forward for brands and directly offer a solution to one of the most pressing social issues of our time.
https://j.mp/3jw92kV

Google Ads turns 20: The most important trends and changes of the past 5 years

Looking back, we can see where the biggest trends in search (and beyond) are heading. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/34lUyQy

Women In Tech SEO founder Areej AbuAli wins Search Engine Land Award for Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Search Marketing

Recognized for her leadership in creating a support network for women and advocating for women’s voices in the search industry. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/2Hl9Nk9

Webcasts: Get ready for the holidays

This is one of the busiest times of year for digital marketers, and we want you have the latest insights and feature updates to be sure you are ready for the fast approaching holiday season. Here’s a roundup of some of our recent digital events, all available on-demand, to help you get prepped. The Art and Science of Shutterstock and Microsoft Audience Ads We’re pleased to announce that Microsoft Advertising is partnering with Shutterstock to provide advertisers with free access to over 300 million commercially licensed images for use in the Microsoft Audience Network. In this webcast we covered: * The Microsoft Audience Network  * The power of images in ads  * The Shutterstock and Microsoft partnership  * How to use Shutterstock images in your Audience Ads Watch The Art and Science of Shutterstock and Microsoft Audience Ads The Art and Science of Shopping Campaigns Do you want to drive more customers to your products with engaging retail experiences? Shopping Campaigns showcase products in impactful ways that can include multiple product images, price changes and product promotions. This gives searchers more information and moves them closer to making a purchase decision before they click. Join our experts for a deep dive into Shopping Campaigns, and learn to manage your campaigns with greater ease and create engaging retail experiences for your customers. In this webcast we covered: * Shopping Campaigns performance * Retail and holiday insights * Product roadmap updates * Best practices, including campaign structure, feed structure and more Watch The Art and Science of Shopping Campaigns Retail Unwrapped In this virtual session, you’ll discover a balance of retail analysis and insights along with practical and applicable product features to help navigate the current challenges facing the retail industry.   Following the welcome opening, a variety of experts shared retail holiday insights to navigate this dynamic season, as well as practical solutions, tips and key takeaways to help clients do more with less. We want to educate and inspire our retail advertisers to help solve business challenges. Watch Retail Unwrapped The Art and Science of Audiences + Automation As you’re making your list and checking it twice this holiday season, we’re here to help you reach your goals. From growth to efficiency, we’re here to support you as you surprise and delight your customers during this unique time. Our gift to you: audience and automation strategies to help you reach your best customers this season and beyond. These gifts keep on giving! In this webcast we covered: * Get prepped: the latest Microsoft Advertising insights * Reach the right audience: audience targeting updates * Gain efficiencies: automation updates * Mash-up: audiences + automation best practices Watch The Art and Science of Audiences + Automation Check out our new Retail Hub to see all the latest retail industry insights and resources. To receive blog updates automatically, subscribe to the Microsoft Advertising Insider newsletter. Make sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter to keep up with the latest Microsoft Advertising news and insights.
https://j.mp/3me3ugT

Art to inspire the future with the United Nations

October 24th is United Nations Day, and this year we’re marking 75 years of the United Nations (UN75). To commemorate this anniversary, the United Nations Secretary-General asked the world, “What are your hopes for the future?” Over one million people from every country spoke up, expressing their thoughts and ideas for the future we want. One of the ways people answer this question is by making art. That’s why we’ve partnered with Google Arts and Culture to bring online a collection of over 500 artworks created in response to this prompt. We’re inviting everyone to learn more about how contemporary artists are answering today’s challenges and helping us imagine a better future. Exhibits include The Future is Unwritten, with inspiring contributions from nine international artists, as well as the Agora photo exhibit, which features submissions from members of the public exploring #TheWorldWeWant. You too can join this conversation by creating your own Street Galleries, a new online tool allowing you to “project” selected artworks in the streets of cities around the world and share the images with your friends to spark a conversation. Don’t know where to start? Find inspiration in the Street Galleries created by former Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth Jayathma Wickramanayake. * Ban Ki-moon _ Street Gallery.png Explore the Street Gallery created by Ban Ki Moon and projected onto the UN Global Headquarters in New York. * image-_gFfvSyzJhUR3A-large.jpg Discover the work of nine global artists who use their creativity to inspire a better, more sustainable world for all in The Future Is Unwritten. * image-2wG0Zutg-R0GrQ-large.jpg See incredible photos from around the world as part of the #TheWorldWeWant exhibition. * image-NwEjYn9wfn49wA-large.jpg Zero Hunger, by Emmanuel Jarus, is a mural that raises awareness about food insecurity, and reflects on a world where everyone has access to the food they need and the vision of zero hunger by 2030. * image-9wGcgAtogsKQKA-large.jpg Learn how artworks like this realistic portrait drawing, titled Self-Acclaimed,  by the self-taught Nigerian artist Kalejaye O. Tosin, can create new dialogues as  part of the Global Conversation 2020 exhibition. * image-6QGvDNjcT5N1XA-large.jpg Listen to the result of the”Composing Your Future” initiative which invited musicians between the ages of 18 and 30 to compose a piece inspired by the central theme of “The Future We Want.” We invite you to join us at this moment of reflection, of listening, and of coming together as a human family to discuss how we can respond to the big trends shaping our future.
https://j.mp/2TgjXVs

Madres y Familiares de Uruguayos Detenidos Desaparecidos: Alive in our memory

During the years 1973 and 1985 there was a civic-military dictatorship in Uruguay. Among its consequences, it left 197 detained citizens missing. Since 1995, every May 20, the March of Silence has been organized, a massive mobilization demanding truth and justice. This year, due to the health measures taken by Covid-19, this mobilization was prohibited. However, through this initiative a way was found to march virtually.
https://j.mp/2IY9pbE

A united front against online piracy in Asia Pacific

With more people staying at home, video streaming is up everywhere—and by as much as 60 percent in Southeast Asia, according to a Media Partners Asia study. That makes it all the more critical that we and our partners in the region continue to address the serious challenge of online piracy.    Google’s overall approach is set out in our Anti-Piracy Principles, and we work closely with media and entertainment industry organizations to tackle new challenges. Two years ago, we started talking to the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), the trade group for the video ecosystem in Asia, about how we could collaborate. Since then, we’ve been having quarterly forums with their members: broadcasters, operators and telcos. We also make sure AVIA members are aware of new features like What to Watch, to ensure their legitimate content is visible and prominent on the Search results page. To learn more about online piracy in Asia Pacific (APAC), we spoke to Louis Boswell, CEO of AVIA.  How does the APAC region differ from others when it comes to broadcast, media and  entertainment? There are very divergent tastes in content across APAC, which is not surprising given the different cultures and languages. The genres that work best across multiple markets would be a mix of Western, Korean and Chinese content. These genres are widely available, but fragmented over many services, some not mature, and business models vary. In parts of the region, people have never developed a habit of paying for content, so platforms often feel they have to adapt their business models to compete with piracy in a far more pronounced way than in the West. In terms of consumption, many markets are mobile-first. What role should education play in efforts to fight piracy? Do consumers in the region know how to access legitimate alternatives and why they should choose these options? Consumer awareness is important to any anti-piracy strategy. Consumers need to know the very real risks they face from malware when accessing piracy sites or using illicit applications. Most people know that what they are accessing is stolen content: in a recent YouGov survey, commissioned by AVIA’s Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), when asked who was most responsible for preventing piracy, Singaporeans chose “the individual, for choosing not to watch pirated content.” There are many legal and reliable video streaming services available in Southeast Asia. Websites that are dedicated to infringement are unreliable, put people at risk of malware infection, and fund crime groups.  Over the last few years, Google has been a partner of AVIA—working to fight piracy in the region. Why are these types of partnerships worthwhile? Piracy is an industry-wide problem, and industry needs to come together to fight it. AVIA represents many of the biggest IP owners in the region and Google has the most popular search engine and online video platform, so a couple of years ago we both agreed that it made sense for us to sit down and have a frank and open conversation about the problems of piracy, understand the tools and measures Google is putting in place, and provide a forum for our members to raise concerns that Google may be able to address. It has been a constructive and collaborative process which has been appreciated on both sides. And it has led to new initiatives, including a workshop AVIA arranged for many of its Asia-based IP creators across India, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia—designed to make better use of Google’s tools for removing infringing content. It’s a positive step that content producers, distributors and industry associations are now working together to address the problems, as well as partnering with technology platforms, payment processors, e-market platforms and other intermediaries.
https://j.mp/37xDglk

Nescafe: Make Your Morning Moment

nescafe_original_resized.jpg  
https://j.mp/35gy42A

What Prime Day signals for 2020 holiday retail

Here’s what marketers should expect, plan for and start doing now to maximize sales and revenue this season. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/2HmcYI7

Proactively building negative keyword lists in Google Ads is now more important than ever

Google appears to be pushing for the premature rollout of automated features to further develop its machine learning (at the expense of the advertiser). Here are some ways to review your accounts to avoid pitfalls. Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/34ggBrO

Google internships are staying virtual in 2021

Every day during her Google internship, Lauren Snyder would start her morning by grabbing a cup of coffee and getting ready for work. She’d even put on a pair of shoes to feel more office-ready. She logged on from her apartment in New York and focused on her project around security systems for Google’s Data Center team. At the same time across the world, Ishani Srivastava, an intern working on the software engineering side ofGoogle Workspace in Bokaro Steel City, India, would end each day by crossing off the items on her to-do list and revisiting an old hobby: sketching and painting. With the stresses of a pandemic going on outside her door, she spent each evening unwinding with her art supplies, which helped her embrace a passion that didn’t involve school or work. Lauren and Ishai in their intern-from-home spaces. For the first time in Google history, thousands of students from 43 countries started their summer internships virtually. We hosted more than 200 orientation sessions across the globe and held more than 300 events throughout the summer to help interns connect with their peers, hear from Google leaders, and engage with various teams.   As we continue to prioritize health and safety during the ongoing pandemic, we’re confirming that Google internships will be virtual again in 2021. By making this call now, we hope to give interns ample time to prepare for working in a virtual environment.  New opportunities in a virtual environment Shifting to a virtual format this past summer was a big challenge, but it presented us with opportunities to be more inventive with our programming and how we stay connected to one another. To help make activities more accessible to our global community of both interns and employees, every intern had the option to be paired with a mentor or join a coffee chat with one of the 2,600 Googlers who volunteered to host one of these sessions to answer questions about work, life or whatever was on their mind. To help our interns focus on their well-being while working from home, we created a “development hub” filled with tools and resources specifically created for thriving during remote work. We also kicked off more virtual social events to make sure interns were meeting just as many Googlers and fellow interns as they would have in the office — if not more. We launched an intern-only version ofHash Code, our team-based coding competition, which gives students the opportunity to solve big, real-world engineering challenges. At its core, what it means to be an intern at Google has not changed, and we were excited to find 97 percent of interns were satisfied with their experience — the same as the previous year, when we were all in the office. We look forward to applying much of what we learned earlier this year to our 2021 program. As we get closer to next summer, we'll continue to share more details with interns about what they can expect from their virtual internship.  Applications are now open. If you’d like to join us, apply on our careers page.
https://j.mp/3mfL0wF

Google confirms it doesn’t index passages separately

Google now “consider passages from pages as an additional ranking factor.” Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
https://j.mp/34eyEhP

A bright spot on the open web

Meet Courtney Quinn, the web creator behind Color Me Courtney, a bright spot on the web where she shares her positive outlook on life.  “I see my blog as my own little corner on the internet where my community can always find joy, whimsy, fun, love and strength,” Courtney says. “My main goal is to promote self-confidence, celebrate inclusivity and embrace all the special quirks that make you unique–all through my love and affinity for color.”  That’s a mission we can definitely get behind, especially in these, um … maybe not always so bright and colorful times.  We reached out to Courtney to learn more about her story and to see how she manages the Web Creator life. Read on if you need a dash of sunshine and color to brighten your day. And stay tuned for our exclusive IRL interview with Courtney, coming soon to YouTube! What does your average day look like?  That’s the thing about this job, there is no average day because every day is so different depending on the time of year, my content series, current events in the world, etc. People assume that web creators just create beautiful images and videos with witty captions and call it a day. For me, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, because 80 percent of my work is things that people may not see: storyboarding, calls with brand partners, content strategy, emails, backend website developing, editing and engaging with my community.   What inspires you on a day-to-day basis and gets your creative energy flowing?  Color Me Courtney at its core is a true reflection of me and my (many) interests–fashion, lifestyle, food, culture, entertainment, etc.– so I don’t have trouble with “turning it on” or finding creative energy. Oftentimes my problem as a creative is actually the opposite, and the challenge is really to be more focused on reining things in and making sure all of the ideas get executed.   To get into the flow, I try to separate my days into buckets so I can be the most productive. I’ll do one day a week that’s all meetings and phone calls and another where I’m binge watching a show in my pajamas while I’m answering emails and editing and planning content. Then the next day I’ll get photoshoot-ready and dedicate all my time shooting content. Of course, this doesn’t always go according to plan. There can always be interruptions like a timely cultural moment, an urgent email or just being present for my online community. But it does help to plan my day and create some semblance of a structure.To get into the flow, I try to separate my days into buckets so I can be the most productive. What’s the best part of your job?  I love the creativity, the freedom to express myself and working with my favorite brands, but the best part of my job is my amazing community and the ability to connect with others. There are so many conversations about the negative aspects of the web, but I love to shine the light on how it can positively bring so many people from diverse backgrounds together. That’s what my community is! It means so much when someone tells me how my post has brightened their day or gave them confidence to wear an outfit, or just let them know that they weren’t alone!   Sometimes though, people can forget that there is a real-life human being on the other side of the screen and that you’re not always omnipresent. At a normal 9-5 you either have off-days, take vacations or leave your work at the office when you go home. However, in this industry it’s a little tough to take a week vacation or even clock out for the day because there are always alerts and people are constantly reaching out. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but you definitely have to set aside time for yourself because it can be overwhelming if you don’t “turn it off.” A healthy dose of stop-motion sunshine from Courtney’s Instagram. What’s the mission behind Color Me Courtney?  Color Me Courtney and my online shop, Color Me Magic, is a vibrant fashion, lifestyle and culture media company that is designed to empower others to "Dress Outside the Lines," promote self-confidence, celebrate inclusivity and embrace all the special quirks that make you unique. It’s been great to create a safe space to express my unique thoughts and interests and encourage my community to come together to share theirs as well.     What is something that inspires and motivates you every day about the web, or in general? The most inspiring thing is to see how many people your content, conversations and general presence can have on others, whether they are other creators or moms just entering a new career. That relationship is reciprocal in that there are so many times where my community also inspires and motivates me.   The other inspiring thing is that my online presence isn’t stagnant, but rather grows with me. I’ve been fortunate that it grows in terms of followers and readership, but more importantly it's grown as my interests, hobbies and career have evolved, and that’s amazing to me. Because of this, I’m constantly thinking of new concepts and the process of being able to take them from idea to execution and seeing everything come to life is inspiring and motivating.There are so many conversations about the negative aspects of the web, but I love to shine a light on how it can positively bring so many people from diverse backgrounds together. What tools do you use to make your stuff?  I used to be exclusive to Dropbox, but I just switched to Google Drive so now I operate completely on Drive. I use Adobe Suite (Lightroom mostly) for editing but I do it almost exclusively on my phone. I edit video in Final Cut or Premiere depending on the project and I use VLLO and Splice for on-phone editing. And finally … what advice would you give someone trying to make it in your industry?  Find the thing that makes you special, different and unique. Then celebrate it and build a brand around it. The number one mistake that I see when people are starting out is they try to be everything to everybody instead of starting with the things they are most passionate about and building a community and business around that. Too many people try to conform to the trends of the moment and get lost in the shuffle, or they fall for the trap of comparing themselves to others, and that’s 100 percent  a losing game.   
https://j.mp/3m0xi0c

Most Reliable Hosting Company Sites in September 2020

Rank Performance Graph OS Outage hh:mm:ss Failed Req% DNS Connect First byte Total 1 Rackspace Linux 0:00:00 0.000 0.531 0.010 0.023 0.023 2 Webair Linux 0:00:00 0.000 0.348 0.069 0.139 0.139 3 Hyve Managed Hosting Linux 0:00:00 0.000 0.186 0.074 0.149 0.149 4 Swishmail Linux 0:00:00 0.000 0.261 0.081 0.162 0.162 5 www.dinahosting.com Linux 0:00:00 0.000 0.318 0.093 0.186 0.186 6 Pair Networks Linux 0:00:00 0.000 0.370 0.095 0.189 0.189 7 Multacom Linux 0:00:00 0.000 0.429 0.116 0.233 0.234 8 www.choopa.com Linux 0:00:00 0.005 0.286 0.007 0.025 0.025 9 New York Internet (NYI) FreeBSD 0:00:00 0.005 0.580 0.056 0.112 0.112 10 Bigstep Linux 0:00:00 0.005 0.237 0.078 0.156 0.156 See full table In September 2020 Rackspace had the most reliable hosting company site. The top seven hosting company sites each responded to all of Netcraft's requests in September and were separated by average connection time. Rackspace offers managed dedicated and cloud hosting solutions and has appeared in the top 10 seven times so far in 2020. Second place to fourth place is made up by Webair, Hyve Managed Hosting and Swishmail. Webair and Swishmail have appeared in the top 10 seven times in 2020 so far and Hyve has made six appearances. Webair provides a range of services including cloud management solutions and disaster recovery. Hyve is a fully managed UK based cloud hosting provider that offers colocation in 35 data centres across Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. Swishmail has now appeared in the top 10 for four consecutive months.
https://j.mp/35gproz

How agencies can help protect customers' pandemic holiday season

The upcoming retail holiday season is unlike any we have experienced before, given the global COVID-19 crisis. Yet amid the pandemic, search and e-commerce are set to be the stars of the season. In the face of COVID-19 restrictions, more people worked and learned from home, and shopped online. They turned to search, resulting in a huge spike in search growth not only across the U.S.1 but also around the world. Consumers are relying on search now more than ever, which makes search the perfect vehicle for agencies to get their clients in front of e-commerce customers. At Microsoft, we’re here to inspire agencies and equip you with data, tips, and resources — including a new Retail Hub and Holiday 2020 Insights eBook — to help you plan successful holiday shopping campaigns for your clients. Insights for agencies to help brands gain a competitive edge this 2020 holiday season The global COVID-19 crisis has brought about economic uncertainties. In response, consumers are cutting back on expenses, including delaying larger purchases and holding off on holiday travel.2 Despite this, Deloitte forecasts holiday e-commerce sales to soar 25% to 35% this year.3 With consumers spending more time searching and buying online during the pandemic, search volume has grown. But CPC (cost per click) has come down despite this growth,1 making search a targeted, cost-effective way for brands to reach consumers this holiday season. Meanwhile, desktop searching is here to stay. Last year, 60% of holiday sales were made on a desktop,4 while almost 70% of online sales in the first quarter of 2020 were also on desktops.5 Based on these trends, desktop will be the purchasing platform of choice for shoppers this holiday season. Convenience will be key during the holidays as people prioritize their safety and benefit from the ease of touch-free shopping. Consumers will opt for contactless ways to buy and receive their purchases, including online shopping and direct delivery to their homes. Fast and free shipping will also entice more shoppers this season, with 81% expecting expedited shipping for their holiday purchases. Meanwhile, 44% of U.S. consumers will take advantage of fast shipping to shop later in the season.6 Top tips to plan your clients’ holiday campaigns on a season unlike any other This holiday shopping season will be different, and you’ll need all the help you can get to plan your clients’ holiday campaigns. Here are some top tips to get you started: * Keep search and e-commerce top of mind: Make sure search is at the forefront of your agency’s advertising strategy to get brands in front of searchers ready to buy. Advise your clients to optimize their websites for search, especially desktop searches. Additionally, focus on e-commerce efforts to help brands offer the best purchasing experience for online shoppers. * Create a seamless e-commerce experience: For their customers’ safety, encourage brands to create a seamless multichannel online shopping experience — from virtual showrooms with high-resolution images, videos, and zoom capabilities to in-app ordering and mobile payments or paying online. * Be early: Consumers will begin shopping ahead of the holiday season, with 39% of U.S. shoppers starting before November.7 Schedule client campaigns to run before Cyber Week, then offer promotions as early as October. Offer online-only deals as well as sales on non-peak days to prioritize the health and safety of your clients’ customers. As part of these deals and offers, advise clients to relax their return policies to ease the pressure on their e-commerce fulfillment centers and give customers more time to request refunds. * Spread out peaks: Capitalize on high-click days — Cyber Monday, Black Friday, Thanksgiving, end of November, and early December — but don’t exhaust client budgets during these periods. Bid on less competitive days to take advantage of lower CPCs and ensure coverage over the multi-month shopping journey. * Get in it for the long haul: After December 25, 68% of consumers plan to continue buying, while another 51% are looking to score some last-minute deals and promotions.8 Make sure to extend your clients’ campaigns throughout the season up to early January to continue engaging any post-holiday shoppers. Resources for the 2020 holiday season and beyond We’re committed to supporting your agency and your clients this season and beyond. Through our recently launched Microsoft Advertising Retail Hub, you’ll get industry insights and resources to help brands achieve their sales goals during the holidays. We also have a Holiday 2020 Insights eBook — your pandemic guide to holiday sales success — complete with valuable trends, tips, best practices, and even checklists to set up your clients’ shopping campaigns for success this 2020 holiday season. #ppc
https://j.mp/2Tchr2s

Temptations: Scaredy Cat

https://j.mp/34eXuOR