“Slow and Steady” Google Ranking Update
After forcing webmasters to wait 10 months, Google has confirmed that a new ranking algorithm update has been released this week.
Learn more
Google have recently announced an important update concerning their Google Analytics Remarketing Audiences which will change the way advertisers and marketers target audiences online.
You may have seen a warning in Google Analytics, but what exactly does it mean?
Essentially, Google will now start showing ads to users across multiple devices for advertisers using Remarketing Audiences built with Google Analytics. Cross-device remarketing has existed for some time now for advertisers using remarketing audiences built within AdWords, however this method was a manual and laborious task, requiring considerably more time and technical ‘know-how’ to achieve.
This new method, using the very simple audience-building tool in Google Analytics, gives advertisers the ability to reach more customers across their omnichannel buying journey, a change which has brought this method in line with platforms like Facebook who have been doing this for some time.
But… Why?
Buyer behaviour is constantly changing. According to a recent study:
“Six in 10 internet users will start shopping on one device but will continue or finish on a different one [device].”
This means more than half of buyers are accessible through multiple platforms and why it’s now essential advertisers distribute their ads across all the devices where their consumers may be researching, considering or eventually purchasing.
Previously, if an advertiser built a remarketing audience in Google Analytics – or a subset of website visitors from whom they wish to retarget with specific ads – then they would only be able to reach them via browser cookies on a singular device. Now, by using signed-in user data, ads can be shown to visitors across any device which is linked to their Google account.
What Now?
Advertisers should reconsider the frequency and reach of their ads, now that they’re going to be seen across multiple devices. Ideally, each user should now see the same remarketing ads more times, meaning messages will constantly need to be fresh and appealing.
It’s also recommended advertisers review their website privacy policies to ensure these are compliant with their current privacy legislation in their area. In Australia, significant changes were made to the Privacy Act in 2014 – so, if your websites privacy policy has not been updated since then, you should review it. For all other questions or concerns, feel free to contact or connect with our experts on Twitter.