Microsoft Enhances Search and Advertising with AI
Microsoft's AI-powered Bing Chat is transforming the search experience, proving especially popular with young adults by facilitating quicker, more complex searches. Bing's innovation is drawing more users to both Bing and Edge, marking nine straight quarters of growth for Edge, partly due to Bing Chat's influence. This success is a key indicator of the potential artificial intelligence holds in redefining global online interactions.
Adapting to the new search behaviours, Microsoft has launched various ad formats within Bing Chat, capitalising on AI to create dynamic, relevant, and visually engaging content. Furthermore, they've introduced a new ad format designed for Chat, called Compare & Decide Ads, which helps users evaluate options like car models in a comparative table. These Ads are set to enter closed beta in early 2024.
On the publisher side, Microsoft is democratising AI through the Ads for Chat API, with Snapchat and Axel Springer as the inaugural partners. This initiative allows integration of the chat ad technology into platforms like Snapchat's My AI and Axel Springer's Hey_, providing engaging and monetised user interactions.
Microsoft's commitment to AI signifies a new era for advertisers, with further details available through an upcoming generative AI webcast in November. [1]
LinkedIn Introduces Advanced Advertiser Audience Features
LinkedIn has debuted new features to enhance ad targeting and measurement capabilities. These features are aimed at providing more rigorous impact analysis for campaign strategies.
- New Conversion Tracking Tools with CAPI (Conversions API): This tool enables advertisers to integrate their online and offline data with LinkedIn, tracking conversions with greater precision without relying on cookie-based methods. The versatility of CAPI allows for direct API or partner integration, thereby accommodating various data linking scenarios.
- Enhanced Website Interaction Tracking: This feature eliminates the need for complex on-site coding, simplifying the tracking of CTAs, page visits, and data collection on websites. It's particularly efficient when used with the LinkedIn Insight Tag, saving advertisers time in creating conversion rules manually.
- Document Ads Upgrades: Document Ads, a distinctive ad format on LinkedIn, has been upgraded with three key enhancements: Retargeting Capabilities, objectives focussing on website visits and conversions encourages actionable outcomes on landing pages, leading to more effective campaigns, and LAN Distribution: The option for LAN distribution has been included to improve delivery reach and cost-efficiency.
These new capabilities are part of LinkedIn's continual efforts to refine its advertising solutions, ensuring marketers have robust and privacy-compliant tools to reach their audiences effectively. [2]
YouTube Expands Access to Shorts Ads for Advertisers
As YouTube Shorts rises in popularity, YouTube is transitioning its Shorts ads from beta to widely available, giving more advertisers the opportunity to utilise this video format. Marketers can now experiment with Short ads integrated into in-stream ads and in-feed ads combinations.
Despite the feature's growing accessibility, it remains unavailable for some accounts, with a progressive rollout planned over the coming months. PPC consultant Kristian Maltzahn shared his enthusiasm on LinkedIn, noting the shift in consumer demand towards formats seen on TikTok and Instagram Reels, and applauding YouTube's approach to gradually introduce advertising within the Shorts format.
Google Ads plans to extend this feature to more video campaign types soon.A Google spokesperson confirmed the broader launch of ads on Shorts, mentioning the availability of Shorts in Video reach campaigns for all advertisers. However, some elements, like the YouTube Select Run of Shorts lineups, are still in the pilot phase. The new Select lineups are specifically curated for Shorts content, providing options for advertisers to target their campaigns effectively. Advertisers are encouraged to explore these new formats and tailor their strategies across YouTube's dynamic platform. [3]
Pinterest Expands Direct Links to More Ad Campaign Types
During the bustling festive season, Pinterest has improved its direct links feature, making it easier for marketers to drive traffic and boost conversions. This update allows users to go straight from Pinterest to advertisers' websites or stores with just one click, bypassing the traditional two-click process.
Originally announced at the advertiser summit in September, the expansion of direct links now encompasses consideration and conversion campaigns for both image and video ads. The aim is to facilitate the customer journey, particularly targeting lower funnel goals with potentially reduced costs. Metrics indicate promising outcomes for advertisers utilising the new feature. Brands have observed a dramatic increase in clicks to site—an average rise of 96%—for consideration campaigns using direct links, coupled with a significant 38% drop in cost per outbound click. Meanwhile, conversion campaigns have displayed an average surge of 68% in site clicks and a 26% uptick in click-based conversions.
To capitalise on these improved results for the festive period, marketers are advised to allocate a larger portion of their budget to Pinterest ads featuring direct links. The feature is automatically activated for consideration campaigns, but for conversion and shopping efforts, checking the setting in the Ads Manager is recommended. [4]
[1] Microsoft
[2] LinkedIn
[4] Pinterest
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