ALL TOOLS AND SCRIPT FOR FREE

🔍 Google Ads released Ads Editor v1.5

Good morning, Search Marketer, today you are stuck with me, Barry Schwartz.  George Nguyen is off today "adulting," so here is my first take at writing an introduction for the newsletter since we relaunched this newsletter in this new format years ago.  

Google Ads released a holiday gift for search marketers this week, an updated version of the Google Ads Editor. It was actually released last month but Google didn't ship the announcement until the holiday season. Happy holidays Google Ads advertisers!

I've got to say, the rush SEOs feel when Google releases updates, especially big ones like core updates is exhilarating – don't you think?  So when Google released that core update on December 3rd and then confirmed it was done rolling out on December 16th – I thought we were done.  But on Friday morning, the 8th day of Chanukah, I saw some significant chatter and signs of another Google update. It sounds like we're not done yet … but are we ever done with Google search change? Nope, that is what we SEOs live for and deal with on an ongoing basis.

I do hope this latest Google update was more of a holiday present than a holiday headache. 

Barry Schwartz,
Search Janitor

 
 
 
Google Ads
 

Google releases Google Ads Editor v1.5

Google has announced the release of the Google Ads Editor version 1.5.  In this release you will find new tools to help you improve your ad strength, support for additional recommendations, and image extensions.  I should note, this was released in November but Google did not announce it until just recently. Why? Well, maybe because last time there was a bug and Google had to scramble to fix it. 

Read more here.

 

The bright 2021 outlook for digital marketing agencies

Sponsored by CallRail

While 2021 still holds economic uncertainty, digital marketing leaders indicate that their agencies have been remarkably resilient, according to CallRail's fall survey of 167 global marketing leaders who use its services. The findings show that most agencies will finish 2020 with higher annual revenues than in 2019.

Overall, agency leaders reported satisfaction across many different business areas, such as their talent and expertise, customer service and positioning. When asked about their ability to attain key growth metrics — like generating new client leads and closing new business — the majority of agencies also exhibited strong confidence that they can.  While CallRail's 2021 Outlook Report takes a much deeper dive into agency business practices, this article highlights some of the most interesting aspects of the research.

Read More »

 
Bing
 

Bing Webmaster Tools adds Microsoft Clarity integration

If you have not checked out Microsoft Clarity, you probably should – it is pretty amazing free software to see how your website visitors are using your website.  And now, for you SEOs, there is less of an excuse not to check it out.  It is now integrated into Bing Webmaster Tools, you can click a few buttons and add Microsoft Clarity to your website directly through Bing Webmaster Tools. 

Microsoft promises more and more integration between Bing Webmaster Tools and Microsoft Clarity in the future. Because just being able to sign up for Microsoft Clarity in Bing Webmaster Tools really isn't that much of an integration path. 

Read more here.

 

Say hello to SMX Report: Analytics for Search Marketing

Unlock actionable tactics to measure search marketing success at SMX Report, online February 23, 2021. Secure your spot for just $99!

Register now »

 
Search Shorts
 

The 8th Day Google search update.

Dark mode for Google News. Is reading Google News a bit too hard on your eyes? Well, Google just released dark mode for Google News.

8th Day Google update. On the 8th day of Chanukah, it seems that Google may have released another Google ranking update. It came just a day or so after Google completed the December core update release.

Platform prioritization. Google's John Mueller said on Twitter that it does not prioritize crawling, indexing or ranking based on the platform you use.

New Google video series. Aurora Morales, Publisher Policy Education at Google, posted her first welcome video for her new Google video series on Sustainable Monetized Websites.

 

Learn to forecast your optimal search spend, revenue, and profit

Ever wish you had a crystal ball? Want to know exactly how much you'll spend next year – and how much revenue and profit that spend will generate? Understanding the impact of your ad spend on your revenue and profit dollars will help you adjust your management strategy. In this whitepaper, we'll show you how to forecast optimal ad spend, revenue, and profit.

Read more »

 
 
 
What We're Reading
 

We've curated our picks from across the web so you can retire your feed reader.

Microsoft's Lessons for Google – New York Times

Redesigning Search would harm American consumers and businesses – Google Blog

SEO Competitive Analysis for B2B — Whiteboard Friday – Moz

The multi-channel retail consumer journey – Microsoft Advertising

Website Migration with Bing – Bing Webmaster Blog