News

TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT

New data from Pew Research shows Pinterest and Instagram traffic doubling and blowing past Twitter and LinkedIn. The Washington Post, which has lots of web traffic too, is now triggering ad popups to people who use ad blocking software. And always ready to jump on a trend, Google is increasing the amount of health-related information in its search result pages. That means health-related sites may soon see a dip.

And that is what you need to know for this week without the hype.

News You Should Know

Pinterest and Instagram Usage Doubles
Pinterest and Instagram Usage Doubles

Both social networks are now getting more than LinkedIn or Twitter. 2015-2016 Social strategy: pick one, start learning it and begin building credibility for your org there.

Washington Post Begins Showing Pop-Ups to AdBlock Users
Washington Post Begins Showing Pop-Ups to AdBlock Users

The Washington Post is showing pop-ups overlayed on top of articles to users who have an ad blocker enabled and are actively blocking ads. Unless your brand is as strong as the Post’s, don’t try this on your site. (P.S. YouTube is testing this too…)

Google Announces More Health Information In Search
Google Announces More Health Information In Search

Google’s increase in health conditions shown directly to users means sites that receive traffic about health conditions might see their trafffic decrease. Google will now feature 900 diseases and health conditions in the search results.

Ad of the Week

Bank of America's Marketing Morons Torment Billy Idol in Hilarious Ads From Christopher Guest
Bank of America’s Marketing Morons Torment Billy Idol in Hilarious Ads From Christopher Guest

Bank of America and director Christopher Guest teamed up for a hilarious sequence of TV ads mocking the ad industry as only Guest could. Half of them feature Billy Idol. Did you ever expect Mr. White Wedding would work for a giant bank? Me either.

News

TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT

If your organization advertises using AdWords, you can now target Gmail with an ad that expands when the viewer clicks the screen.

In reputation news, Yelp is now posting a harsh note about 100 different moving companies when its network reportedly pressured customers for good reviews (they actually gave them discounts…) And the FTC, which is far more powerful than Yelp, cracked down on testimonials that were not disclosed as paid testimonials.

This is the third time we’ve mentioned this in 29 issues. You must stop if your organization is using paid endorsements that are not marked as paid. If you’re the one caught, you face harsh penalties, If your agency is doing it, fire your agency. Most people remember the brand names that got caught, not the agency’s name.

And that is what you need to know for this week without the hype.

News You Should Know

Inside AdWords: Native Gmail ads arrive in AdWords for all advertisers
Inside AdWords: Native Gmail ads arrive in AdWords for all advertisers

Big change Ad targets Gmail in “collapsed” mode & only expands when someone clicks to expand it.

Yelp Penalizes 100+ Movers Alliance Business Listings After Group Charged With Misleading Customers
Yelp Penalizes 100+ Movers Alliance Business Listings After Group Charged With Misleading Customers

Yelp has its own issues, but still influences some consumer behavior. A cautionary tale about trying too hard to manipulate those ratings.

FTC Settles With Gaming Network Accused Of Failing To Disclose Paid Endorsements

US agency fires another warning shot against lack of social media disclosures by settling complaint that gamers were paid up to $30,000 to upload video endorsements of the Microsoft Xbox One console.

News

TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT

More than one billion accounts accessed Facebook in a 24 hour period this week. There are 7.3 billion individuals on Earth. Your organization needs a Facebook strategy.

Google continues making inroads on local search and is warning businesses to verify their listings via a Google My Business account. Let us know if you need help–we are the local Google partners for Chantilly, Virginia.

And finally, a look at how the power logos have for your brand when an artist swaps logo colors of competing brands.

And that is what you need to know for this week without the hype.

News You Should Know

One Billion Accounts Accessed Facebook in A Single Day
One Billion Accounts Accessed Facebook in A Single Day

Following in the footsteps of AOL, CompuServe, and other gateways to the Internet, Facebook is the place many people start and end their Internet journey. One billion unique accounts accessed Facebook in a single day this week. No organization can afford to ignore Facebook.

Google Warns Again, Login To Your Google My Business Account Or Else...
Google Warns Again, Login To Your Google My Business Account Or Else…

In June, Google began warning business owners that they need to login and verify their business listings within the Google My Business account. If they did not, they run the risk of a deleted listing.

Here's What 22 Famous Logos Would Look Like If They Swapped Colors With Competitors
Here’s What 22 Famous Logos Would Look Like If They Swapped Colors With Competitors

As the author points out, this is a little disconcerting. We already know what makes a successful logo—remember, simplicity is key. But what about its color scheme?  A Brazilian graphic designer, Paula Rúpolo, recently experimented with 22 major brand logos, swapping the colors of a brand’s logo with that of its competitors.