Good morning, search marketers, are you ready for 3D search results?
Google Marketing Live, the annual event to introduce new ads and analytics products happens in San Francisco next Tuesday. Yesterday, Google Ads lifted the lid a bit with some early announcements around Local campaigns and the Google Ads app. If you were wondering how hopped up Google is on RSAs, here's a hint: it's the first ad format that you'll be able to create and edit in the Google Ads app.
The significant focus on local ads continues with new Google Maps inventory opening up for Local campaigns, the automated campaign type originally designed to drive foot traffic into stores. Along with new spots in Maps, Local campaigns will soon support other local business goals beyond store visits such as getting directions. Thus the relevance of more Maps inventory.
Starting in August, Google will weigh recent app reviews more heavily when it comes to app rankings in Play store. Those ratings also show up in Google search results. How much of a role ratings play in the ranking calculations isn't known, but app marketers will no longer be able to rest on the praises given to earlier versions of their apps.
Reporting woes continue…. Turns out Google's note from May 3 (in red, no less) that "All other data is now accurate" wasn't quite accurate. Google has confirmed that store visits and store sales reporting data is inaccurate as a result of the reporting bug discovered May 2. That data is incorrect from April 28 onward. Other reporting data for May 1 and the early hours of May 2 are still not fixed.
Podcasts are now showing up in Google search results and can be played right from Google Podcasts. There is markup designed specifically for podcasts to help Google discover your podcast content.
On a positive note, there's lots more to read below, including a look ahead to attribution discussions that will happen at SMX Advanced next month, more on that new evergreen Googlebot and other good info.
Ginny Marvin
Editor-In-Chief
