What’s Behind Google’s August Update? Here’s the Scoop!

Find out what Google’s latest update means for your content strategy and SEO. [image](=) Hi {NAME}, Whether you’re excited about jazzing up your WhatsApp chats with new animated stickers, or eager to streamline your content planning with Threads’ new drafting and scheduling tools, there’s plenty to explore. We’ll also take a closer look at Google’s August 2024 core update that’s changing the SEO game, and how Microsoft’s Copilot is transforming productivity across its suite of tools. And don’t miss the scoop on Google’s AI Overviews—this could seriously impact how content creators approach search engine optimization. And there's more — read on to get the latest updates on digital marketing, tech and AI! Cheers, Jeff What you need to know this week... Social Media Express yourself! WhatsApp lets you create and share animated stickers WhatsApp is enhancing its sticker features, integrating animated Giphy stickers, and expanding custom sticker options. As usage grows, Meta aims to enrich the messaging experience. Users can now add a wider variety of animated GIFs to chats, enhancing communication. Previously available animated stickers have been supplemented by direct Giphy integration, allowing access to trending stickers. The custom sticker maker is now available on Android, enabling users to create personalized stickers from their photos. Additionally, Meta is developing AI-generated stickers, allowing users to create images from text prompts. Lastly, WhatsApp improves sticker previews, offering options to view packs before downloading. [WhatsApp/Blog]( [image] LinkedIn revamps content discovery for smarter, more relevant results LinkedIn is enhancing its content search engine to better handle complex queries. The platform has seen increased usage of search for content, with users employing natural language and longer queries. However, LinkedIn's previous search capabilities sometimes failed to deliver relevant posts, either returning none or irrelevant results due to a lack of conceptual understanding. This led to the introduction of semantic matching to improve search outcomes. The goal is to provide high-quality, engaging posts for every query, measured by the on-topic rate and long-dwell metrics, ensuring users receive well-written answers and spend adequate time engaging with the content. [LinkedIn/Engineering Blog]() Threads introduces drafts and scheduling tools New Threads web features aim to enhance content planning for creators and businesses. Insights and multiple drafts are now available, with scheduling testing forthcoming. T hese tools provide metrics on post performance, helping users understand their audience better. Creators can save up to 100 drafts for future posting, ensuring no ideas are lost. The scheduling feature will allow users to plan posts in advance, maintaining a consistent online presence. Threads continues to evolve, addressing user needs and enhancing engagement. Recent updates, including a revamped web experience and API, further support creators in managing their content effectively. [Meta/Threads]() [image] SEO Google’s August 2024 core update: Quality over quantity in search Google launched its August 2024 core update to enhance search quality. The update prioritizes genuinely useful content over low-quality, search-optimized material. Feedback from creators influenced this release, aiming to connect users with high-quality, original sites, including smaller ones. It also addresses improvements made by websites to ensure the best content is displayed. Additionally, Google updated its help page to provide detailed guidance for those affected by the changes. [Google Blog/Developers]() Google's open access to AI Overviews: Implications for US users Google has made AI Overviews accessible to all US users, even when not signed in. This feature, initially launched in May, aims to enhance search results but raises concerns among publishers about traffic impacts. Although it may improve visibility, publishers doubt Google's claims regarding increased traffic, as distinct data on impressions and clicks is lacking. SEO tools will now be able to track AI Overviews more effectively. The change could alter user click behavior, making it essential for content creators to adapt strategies to maintain traffic in this evolving landscape. Overall, AI Overviews are set to remain a prominent feature in search results. [Search Engine Land]() Google Search Ranking issue update: Ongoing situation An ongoing ranking issue affecting many search results began on August 15, 2024. Updates on the situation are provided, with the next expected within 72 hours as of August 16. The root cause has been identified and is unrelated to the core update rollout, with prior updates anticipated within 12 hours. [Google Search Status Dashboard]() Advertising Meta boosts ads with customization and Google analytics Meta is enhancing campaign optimization for advertisers to better meet their unique goals. Customization is key, allowing businesses to specify whether they want to maximize total conversions or the value of each conversion. New features, like Conversion Value Rules, enable advertisers to define valuable audience segments without separate campaigns, improving automation. Additionally, a new attribution setting will focus on incremental conversions, which could boost conversion rates significantly. Meta is also integrating external analytics tools, starting with Google Analytics, to help businesses evaluate performance across platforms. These updates aim to improve overall conversion value and effectiveness of ad campaigns. [META Business/News]() YouTube cuts ad breaks: How this benefits viewers and advertisers alike YouTube has reduced ad breaks on connected TVs to enhance viewer engagement. Research shows that 79% of viewers prefer grouped video ads rather than interruptions throughout a video. As a result, YouTube now offers fewer, longer ad breaks during long videos, allowing for 50% longer viewing sessions before the next ad. Viewers can skip ads after five seconds if they're not relevant. This approach benefits both viewers, by decreasing interruptions, and advertisers, who gain more opportunities to reach their target audience. YouTube aims to continuously improve the ad experience while supporting advertisers without requiring additional actions from them. [Google Support/Google Ads]() [Buy TikTok Views with Fast Delivery]( Technology Gemini: Next-gen AI for Android use Gemini enhances mobile devices with AI assistance, available now for Advanced subscribers on Android. It offers a conversational overlay, streamlining tasks like brainstorming jobs or planning events. Gemini Live allows hands-free interaction, enabling users to converse seamlessly even when the phone is locked. New voice options improve the naturalness of interactions. Upcoming features include integrations with Google apps, enhancing productivity by managing tasks without switching between services. [Google Blog/Gemini]( PayPal’s Fastlane: Quick guest checkouts for US businesses PayPal has launched Fastlane, enhancing guest checkout for US businesses, boosting sales and customer loyalty. Fastlane allows one-click purchases, significantly reducing checkout time, which is crucial for attracting consumers preferring guest checkout. Research shows many shoppers expect a quick online checkout process, highlighting the need for speed and simplicity. Fastlane enables early consumer recognition via email, allowing for autofill and faster future checkouts without additional forms. Black Forest Decor's testing demonstrated improved conversion rates and reduced checkout time with Fastlane. This service is now available through various platforms, streamlining integration for merchants and enhancing the overall shopping experience. [PayPal/Newsroom](=) Microsoft Copilot transforms how you get things done Microsoft Copilot is a generative AI tool expanding productivity across Microsoft software and services. It includes multiple products like summarization in Outlook and transcription in Teams, along with GitHub Copilot for code generation. Copilot, formerly Bing Chat, integrates with Windows 10, Windows 11, and Microsoft Edge, featuring a dedicated keyboard key on newer PCs. It also has standalone apps for Android and iOS. Powered by OpenAI's models, Copilot performs tasks like writing, translating, and summarizing web content. While it can browse the web for current information, it sometimes provides incorrect responses. Copilot also creates images and music through integrated tools. [TechCrunch]() Latest Podcast Episode [data for business growth](=) [Listen Now](=) Latest from JeffBullas.com - [Are Bing Ads the Digital Advertising Underdog to Watch In 2024?](=) - [How To Start A Blog With No Technical Experience & (Almost) No Money (2024 Update)]( - [The Top Blog Sites of 2024 You Haven't Considered (But Should)](=) Tool of the Week [UseViral]() [Unsubscribe]( Jeffbullas.com Pty Ltd PO Box 73 Lilyfield, New South Wales 2040 Australia +61413662620