Click Through Reads #35: Microsoft Automation and Youtube Brand Safety

Hello Click Through Readers! Is anyone else still living off of Super Bowl snacks they made? I think I cooked for 12 people when really it was just my husband and I watching it at home. As tasty as buffalo chicken dip is, my body is begging for some greens. 

The non-sports world had some pretty major events over the last few weeks, and we cover them in this edition of CTR. We will discuss new Microsoft automation (and a possible elimination of manual CPC bidding!), Youtube achieving MRC accreditation and what that means for advertiser brand-safety, new Facebook prompts for users in response to the iOS 14 rollout, Google’s updates from iOS 14 updates, and finally Google’s announcement of sunsetting Broad Match Modified as a match type. 

Grab some buffalo chicken dip...I mean coffee, and enjoy the news!

Microsoft Takes Another Step Towards Automation, Rolling Out a Plan to Eliminate Manual Cost-Per-Click Bidding

Starting in March 2021 Bing will be phasing out manual CPC bidding, a step Google has yet to take. By April 5, 2021 new campaigns created will no longer have the option to launch on manual CPC. Using an eCPC Strategy gives the system room to optimize your bid at auction time, to maximize your goals (clicks or conversions). Microsoft included some impressive stats with the announcement, boasting the increased performance of automation, and specifically Enhanced CPC bidding. 

• Advertisers using eCPC achieve 5-10% more conversions while maintaining their cost per acquisition (CPA).1
• With eCPC, your average cost per click (CPC) won’t exceed the maximum bid you set.
• Some advertisers have used eCPC with technology provider bid strategies to achieve a +20% conversion rate (CVR) and -20% CPA due to the power of auction-time adjustments.1
• eCPC benefits search partner performance by optimizing for high-quality clicks.

YouTube Achieves MRC Brand Safety Accreditation

YouTube became the first digital platform to receive accreditation for content level brand safety from the Media Rating Council (MRC). This accreditation was given after an extensive audit that reviewed the policies that determine which videos can be on YouTube and which are eligible to monetize with advertising, the technology that analyzes the videos uploaded to the platform. The MRC’s accreditation confirms the effectiveness of YouTube’s robust content level brand safety systems. 

For advertisers, this rating signifies that YouTube has proven to effectively protect ads from showing on content deemed inappropriate for paid ads. Only adding to the quality of the inventory and platform services available. YouTube says they are committed to remaining at least 99% effective at making sure all placements for ads remain brand-safe. For advertisers in 2021, that’s an important commitment. 

Facebook Tests New Prompts to Encourage Users to Allow Data Tracking with ios14 Rollout

Facebook is testing their own version of a prompt that would appear before Apple’s prompt asking users to opt in or out of tracking (ATT). Facebook’s new prompt would appear within its apps and better explain why it tracks user data, and how it's used to improve each person's experience in order to try to convince users to opt in to allow tracking as normal going forward.

Google Prepares Advertisers for Apple’s iOS 14 Updates & ATT Prompt

If you’re a digital advertiser, you’ve likely heard about the new Apple Tracking Transparency prompt (ATT) that is coming in the new iOS 14 updates. Google has recently rolled out their recommendations to help app developers prepare for ATT.

Here are their following recommendations:

• Determine whether Apple’s ATT prompt makes sense for your app by reviewing Apple’s documentation.
• Prepare for fluctuations in iOS App campaigns traffic. Google has highlighted App campaigns for engagement will likely see a significant decrease in reach, and recommends to adjust budgets and bids to achieve desired goals.
• Implement Apple’s SKAdnetwork API, which is a framework that will verify installs from various ad networks where the app is being promoted. This can be easily achieved by updating to the latest version of Google Analytics for Firebase.
• Consolidate your iOS App campaigns to 8 or less and only use tCPI or tCPA bidding in order to maintain optimal performance.
• Google will be updating the way they report on conversions and adding in modeled conversions.
  
  

Google Updates Phrase Match and Modified Broad Match

To give advertisers more control and better reach, Google is bringing the best of Broad Match Modifier into Phrase Match. Phrase Match will expand to cover more broad match modifier traffic while continuing to respect word order when it’s important to the meaning. The intent is to make it easier to manage the keywords in your account.

These improvements will make it easier to reach the customers you want by just using Phrase Match. Here are some examples of how matching behavior will change:

Google is phasing out Broad Match Modifier. Starting in mid-February both match types will begin transitioning to this new matching behavior. In July, you will no longer be able to create new Broad Match Modified keywords. Existing Broad Match Modified keywords will continue to serve with the new behavior. Google recommends creating new keywords in Phrase Match only moving forward. Google also recommends:

• Monitoring budgets and reallocating where-necessary, as volumes may shift.
• Regularly check the Recommendations page, particularly for adding new and removing redundant keywords.
• Consider using Broad Match with Smart Bidding, such as Max Conversions and Target CPA.
• Continue using negative keywords. These are not affected by this change but remain an important part of paid search strategy.

Additionally, Broad Match can now be relied upon to deliver more relevant searches. Additional signals are being considered with broad match, including landing pages and keywords in your ad group. Keyword matching is now more predictable. For example an Exact Match keyword identical to the query is always preferred as long as it is eligible.